Why you should furnish your first home in Ikea

Chances are if your moving out for the first time you are not going to be abundant in a lot of spare cash, so its important to create a space that is comfortable, stylish as well as affordable. To hard, you say? well if you shop at Ikea this is definitely more than achievable as long as you go about it with an open mind. The Ikea catalogue is what I commonly refer to as my bible - here is the link for the current australian version http://onlinecatalogueasia.ikea.com/AU/en/IKEA_Catalogue/. I refer to it every time I am looking for some new (household) addition to my life and more often than not I can find the solution in these pages. They offer furniture that is affordable as well as offers functionality. Also you can get a lot of vibrant colours and funky styles that can take your new pad from boring to customised to your style.

IKEA first came about in 1943 when it was founded by Ingvar Kamprad. When it first started it sold items such as pens, wallets, table runners, watches, jewellery, picture frames and nylon stocking which were sold at reduced prices (definitely a far stretch to what it now sells). The name IKEA came from Ingvar Kamprad initials plus the first letter of both the Farm and Village where he grew up (Elmtaryd and Agunnaryd). There are more than 38 countries that are now home to an IKEA store. The idea of IKEA is that the company can offer a wide range of functional and well designed home furnishing at very low prices so that as many people possible can afford them - hence offering a product that is suitable for pretty much everyone.

THE TOP 10 REASONS WHY IKEA IS PERFECT FOR YOUR FIRST BIG MOVE -

1. Ideas and Inspiration - Go into the store for inspiration and a multitude of ideas. They have a lot of example rooms set up which will give you an idea of what you are likely to need first up and what quirky additions you can to buy and add to your house to give it a more personalised touch. They have examples of every room in a house and also have a lot of space saving ideas and options for those who are working in a smaller space. Ikea originated from Sweden and like most European houses they are quite cosy and tight on space so the idea of Ikea is perfect as they have lots of nifty storage ideas such as desks under beds and drawers in every possible nook and cranny to hide your treasures.

2. The furniture is well priced - Like everywhere you can pay a fortune for some items whilst there are the cheaper options available also. With Ikea its just a matter of taste and going into the store to have a look. Yes you will come across a bed that is expensive such as the http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/S69897251/ at $1237.00, but you will also find nice comfortable beds for a much more affordable option such as the http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/50181772/ at $69.00. Whilst I am not advising you to only purchase your furniture from Ikea I believe it's a good idea to get a lot of the basics out of the way so you can live comfortably and stylishly until you can afford to splurge on that luxury leather couch.

3. Gives you the freedom to experiment - If you are moving out for the first time its unlikely you will have a set idea of how you want your house to look in the future, colour schemes, themes etc. So this way you can experiment with some cheaper options for a while and give you an idea of what it is exactly that you want. This way you won't be risking buyers regret due to the expense of the item that doesn't match the colours or is to big or small for the space. Ikea also offers tape measures on arrival so you can ensure you can get items that will fit perfectly to your space and look just how you expect.

4. Items are flat packed! - This is great as it means you are paying less, as well you can get the satisfaction of building the product yourself (or enlisting the help of a handy friend or family member). Also it means you can most often get the items in your car or trailer first time so you don't have to worry about delivery times and fees (this option is available to you though should you require it - they can also build your furniture for a fee if you prefer too).

5. Big range of items to chose from - Ikea is great as it has a lot of different options for each item, apart from various price ranges it also has different colours and fabrics to ensure you have a wide variety of choice. The only downside to this is it can make the finial decision harder due to so many options.

6. Furniture is ideal for a share house situation - This is because the items are well priced so the cost can be spilt between house members and then when its time to move on, it won't be a bit issue over who gets what. Also if you're in a share house you are likely not wanting to invest in something to expensive to have your house mate spill their red wine on it so an affordable piece of furniture is not going to break your heart if it gets ruined.

7. Minimal attachment to items - If this is your first house, there is a good chance you may not be living there long or permanently so again Ikea items are easier to part with (assuming they have had their share of wear) or are just as easily packed up and taken with you.

8. Quantity of items for less - Buying some cheaper bigger items, means you can spend more cash on decorating your new place and really making it personal such as duvet covers, wall hangings and rugs for your floor. It means you can have all the essentials as well as some loved goodies to make your house a home

9. Can check stock availability online first - Ikea has a tool where you can find the item you are wanting to purchase, and simply check stock availability in store. This tool will tell you if they have few or a lot of the specific item, you can further click on it and it will tell you how quickly the stock has moved and the exact amount that is left in store. This saves a wasted trip if you know what your after and another convenient bonus of shopping at Ikea.

10. Ikea is fun - just to walk around and have a look.....no matter how many times I go to Ikea I never get bored of having a look around and with the yearly catalogue you can be sure of new surprises each year and changes of displays. Finally when you get to the end you can have a $1.00 hot dog which makes it all worth while!

So go visit your local store today you may be surprised at just how much you find and you can make your home everything you dreamed at a fraction of the price.