7 Mistakes People Always Make When Shopping at IKEA

IKEA has become a global icon for a reason—it’s packed with affordable furniture and décor, all with a stylish Scandinavian touch. But navigating its massive stores can be overwhelming, especially since furniture shopping is already a stressful task for many of us. This makes it all too easy to make a mistake during your visit. The good news? These common blunders are entirely avoidable if you go to the store prepared. Here are seven mistakes people always make when shopping at IKEA, according to designers.

Keeping The Hardware

Interior designer Kate Dawson is a big fan of IKEA’s furniture, but the hardware? Not so much. “I always recommend replacing the handles, knobs, and pulls once you get it home,” Dawson says. “A simple addition of fabulous hardware completely transforms a piece of furniture. For example, my client had an old IKEA gray dresser that was just blah. We found pulls on Etsy and swapped them out.”

Upgrading the hardware is an easy and often affordable swap that can make a major difference.

Failing to Measure Your Space Before You Go to the Store

Hayley Servatius of Vintage Lane Interiors & Styling in Denver, Colorado, says IKEA shoppers often fail to measure their space accurately before bringing new items home. “This often leads to impulse buys that don’t fit or function well in their home,” she says.

This is unfortunate because most IKEA shoppers are there to save money and then need to replace these items sooner than anticipated. Keep in mind that measuring your space accurately is crucial before shopping at any furniture store.

Skipping Out on the Decor

According to Servatius, another mistake shoppers make at IKEA is overlooking the opportunity to upgrade their home with affordable basics such as cozy throws and stylish pillows. “IKEA is home to a number of decor items that go such a long way in effortlessly elevating any space, for a fraction of the cost,” she says.

Forgoing the Free Design Services

Kitchens and bathrooms are some of the most expensive spaces in the home to renovate, and correcting mistakes is often costly and time-consuming. So why not prevent these problems before they start? IKEA offers free in-store planning services to help you design these spaces beautifully and stay on budget. You can even make an appointment online before you go.

In addition to the kitchen and bathroom design services, the store also offers living room storage, home office, and wardrobe planning.

Looking at Everything

The average IKEA store is approximately 300,000 square feet. Some are even larger. So, it’s easy for most customers to feel overwhelmed by the selection.

Before going to the store, make a plan. Write down a list of what you need to look for and keep your priorities in mind. For example, if you need to buy a new sofa, start there and maybe look for something less important, like an extra set of sheets for your guest room, last. 

However, once you’ve found your dream sectional, give yourself permission to wander around. You never know what gems you might find.

Assembling Everything Yourself

Part of the reason why IKEA’s pricing is so good is that all of the items are flat-packed, and the directions are illustrated, so you can follow them no matter what country you live in or language you speak. However, this can make assembly challenging for some people, especially if you have a lot of pieces to put together.

That said, you don’t need to do it all by yourself. IKEA offers assembly service through Taskrabbit, which can be arranged in-store or online during the checkout process. You can also enlist a friend to help you, which is (hopefully) free.

Not Taking a Break

One of the best things about IKEA is the café. Not only is it a great place to enjoy Swedish meatballs, but it’s also an ideal place to take a short break.

Buying furniture can mean making a lot of big decisions. So, if you can’t decide whether you want the black coffee table or the white one, don’t fret. Simply take a breather, refuel, and then make a decision. You’ll be happy you did.