IKEA Favorites & Secrets

This post is sponsored by IKEA. All opinions are my own. 

I love me some IKEA - I can't help it - it's fun and practical and clever and there's even some delicious! 

So today I want to walk you through the store and show you some of my FAVORITES and some of my SECRET FINDS! 

You'll know which is which because on each image you'll either see the hearts to know it's a favorite of mine or the WOW face to know it's a secret find! 

First up - we all know that IKEA screams storage but next time you're there - explore the cabinets in the rooms. All the drawers and cupboards are set up for real-life. I found this really helpful when I was cleaning out my kitchen - it's amazing how putting bins in drawers makes it easier to keep them organized! I cleaned out that junk drawer six months ago and it's still clean! 

As I was looking around the rooms - I came across this laundry chute closet! How inventive! It almost makes laundry something fun for kids! Chute the whites up top and the colors down below - heck this might even work on my husband! 

We also know that nobody does color better than IKEA. These EKET storage cubes have the latest fun, spring colors - oranges and blues - I was in love with the different shades and love the mix and match! 

How about a hanging planter for a sunny kitchen? For $9.99?! Yes please!!! You can plant directly in it or set smaller pots inside. I'd love it for my kitchen herbs that I recently planted and have in the windowsill. 

Okay - spend $100 in home furnishing and have dinner while you're shopping and you'll get that dinner free. So basically - anytime you buy home furnishings - go on and eat - cuz it's gonna be free. MEATBALL TIME! 

Something new? How about a chair made of pillows! Yes! This is from the new PS collection that I'm obsessed with. The pillows are bungeed to the chair! You can buy the chair or pillows on their own or in the set. It's so comfy! I nearly matched the wow face without even thinking! :-0

Something I love at the store are the shortcuts because I don't always have 3 hours to shop! So when I need to get in and get out - I use the shortcuts. And if you aren't familiar with them or where the item you need is located - just ask - they're all super helpful and know the store inside and out. 

I have dogs and cats and am not a fan of the bags of food - they are a pain to open and keep closed so I went on the hunt to find a food storage bin. l finally found one - but let me tell you this - it was at a hardware store and it sure wasn't under $10! 

I love all the clever products that IKEA comes up with. These are two that I already own and LOVE! First - the mixing bowl with a lid that has a hole in it! I love it anytime I'm mixing with flour or powdered sugar so I don't get the cloud of dust all over! The ice pops are another fun one - they're silicone and you just fill them with fruit juice and pop them in the freezer! Popsicles with ingredients you can trust! 

Another clever - hooks that aren't hooks! Look at these! I'm always trying to figure out something to do with all of my necklaces and these bamboo hooks are perfection and cheap! Boom. Done. 

I bought new towels - we have some but they don't match the bathroom and it drives me crazy. (They were on sale too - IKEA Family Card gave me and extra 20% off!) So I brought them home - went to put them on the hooks and found out that the towels HAVE THEIR OWN HOOKS!!! Or I guess they have loops - but you get my point here! They actually stay on the hook! Hallelujah! I never knew that $2 could bring me such joy. 

Another joy bringer are these drawer mats - I used them in the kitchen chaos makeover and LOVE them! How do silverware drawers always get crumbs? I have no idea but I love 'em! 

IKEA always has the most fun little knick-knacks and I came across these piggy banks (pink or blue) and had to have one! I mean - look how cute he is! Hubby is always bringing home change and needing a place to dump it - so this little piggy bank will be a cute addition to our bedroom. 

IKEA is always great about their ideas. I'm just not that creative when it comes to putting things together but the great thing is that I don't have to be! I can just walk around and pick out what I like and then follow the tags and take it home. w00t!

IKEA has bikes?! What the hell? Who knew?!!!

IKEA also recently remodeled their Swedish Food Market near the checkouts. We all know about the amazing cinnamon rolls - but they have so much more. There are jams, sauces, drinks, cheese, frozen foods, snacks and a huge wall of candy! The remodel is great too because the walls are all low so you can see everything much easier. I challenge you to take a walk through and find something new and try it! 

But to help you along - here are three of my favorite products in the Swedish Food Market:

1. The frozen salmon fillets - they are the best! They thaw quickly, are sustainably sourced and are always delicious. It's a super quick dinner that I have at least once a week. 
2. Veggie cakes - my husband discovered these! We were in the restaurant and he tried one and now we're obsessed! These are perfect because they're veggie + potato all in one! Plus - no eggs! w00t w00t! 
3. Snack packs - these are new and I grab a handful of them every time I stop in. Hubby takes them to work or to the gym and always asks for more. 

These are things to NOT MISS! And the Swedish Food Market has it's own checkout so you can grab them on your way out - or if you're just wanting to run in and stock up on salmon - you can be in and out in 5 minutes! (Speaking from experience on that one)

After all this shopping - I came home with a piggy bank, some snack packs, measuring spoons and...a new set of bedding! Hubby is allergic to down and IKEA had a great selection of down-alternative comforters and then I paired it with a duvet and some new sheets. This is a new pattern and I loved it - and from the looks of it - Wienie liked it too!

So there you have it - some of my IKEA Favorites and Secrets! Be sure to share some of your favorites and secrets as well!