Dorm shopping - Ikea???

My daughter will be attending Emerson College this fall, and we are planning our dorm shopping... we are going to be staying in the Framingham area, shopping at Bed, Bath %26amp; Beyond, Target, Container Store, etc., but I was wondering if it would be worthwhile to make a trip to Stoughton to Ikea. I%26#39;ve never been to an Ikea store, so I%26#39;m not sure if it would be worth the time and/or drive...

Dorm shopping - Ikea???

Ikea does have a great small spaces section but I%26#39;m assuming the dorms are providing all furniture. If you just need the standard dorm room stuff I honestly wouldn%26#39;t bother. You can also shop Ikea online - I%26#39;d check out their website - that will tell you more what they have VS other stores.

Dorm shopping - Ikea???

Y-E-S

IKEA is PERFECT for college kids. Their stuff is cheap, trendy, and sized right for dorm rooms. They also have TONS of choices for storage, lighting, etc. It%26#39;s worth the half-hour or whatever it is to get to Stoughton. Try to go during the week, not on a Saturday, when it tends to be extra crowded. If you%26#39;ve never been to Ikea before it%26#39;s worth going, just to see it. There are no other stores quite like it.

I%26#39;m not wild about their selection of towels, but they have neat/affordable comforters and duvet covers, pillows, etc. They have fun area rugs and desk lamps and stuff like that.

Plus, on your way out, treat yourself to a cinnamon bun. they%26#39;re amazingly good and cheap.

Reading the first post, I realize maybe I should temper my reply. No, it%26#39;s not a MUST---you can definitely get what you need at the other stores mentioned. And you%26#39;re right. Dorm rooms provide the furniture. (IKEA is especially good for kids who are moving into their first apartments/off-campus housing...they have great cheap furniture.) So...you could avoid it easily.

BUT... I%26#39;m still enthusiastic about it. They have unusual storage solutions, framed artwork, candles, decorative planters, mirrors, lighting, office stuff, etc. all very inexpensive, plus bedding and pillows, etc. Plus, i think it%26#39;s just a cool store.

And better yet have your daughter check out the website to see if there%26#39;s anything there she%26#39;s interested in that isn%26#39;t available elsewhere. Target, bed bath %26amp; beyond also have great websites so she can compare online products %26amp; pricing at all 3 stores as well as others.

We love IKEA, however, for basic dorm freshman needs you do not need to make a trip to Stoughton. IKEA is great for inexpensive furniture which your daughter will not need until she experiences apartment living. We have had the most luck at Target, Bed and Bath, Christmas Tree Shops and Walmart for bedding, frames, room decorations, plates, etc. Trust me on this one, I%26#39;ve been through it three times!

I LOVE Ikea, and go there often for things. They%26#39;d definitely have a lot of great, stylish and inexpensive things for your daughter.

Plus, it%26#39;s an experience to shop there. Go, have lunch in their cafeteria (try the Sweedish Meatballs), and if you want, there%26#39;s a Christmas Tree Shop nearby to check out as well.

Good to see that I%26#39;m not the only IKEA nut!! You%26#39;ll love it or hate it but it%26#39;s unlike anything else, really... and the Christmas Tree shop is nearby!

I wish IKEA existed when I was that age.

Actually, if you%26#39;ve never been to one, it would be a most worthwhile adventure for you as well as her. You%26#39;ll see what a vast resource it is. It%26#39;s highly unlikely she%26#39;ll be getting down that way under her own power, so the scoping you do will have an effect on whether she pushes to get down there - when you get back, or when she can get a ride - in the future (vis a vis Target and the other places you and others have mentioned).

I think you are going to need to explain to djdooms what the Christmas Tree Shops are all about too! (It%26#39;s a northeast chain) They may think you are sending them to buy garland, Christmas tree lights and a plastic Santa Claus! lol

Westernmass

Good point westernmass! The Christmas Tree Shops%26#39; slogan is Don%26#39;t you just love a bargain? and they definitely have them. Now owned by Bed, Bath and Beyond you%26#39;ll find a variety of deals. For the dorm we have accessorized with frames, pillows, curtains, lamps, plasticware, and lots of chochkees (?). etc. These are not high end items but sure are fun for decorating purposes. Their website could use some work but here is the link... http://www.christmastreeshops.com/