One of my favorite things to do when I have a day off with no major commitments is to go to our local Ikea. It was so exciting when Ikea opened up in St. Louis. Most people think Ikea is just a place for home decor and furnishings. However, we have found many everyday products that we buy on a regular basis. Let me share a few with you:
1. White 4″ x 6″ picture frames – I love these small white frames. I have given them as gifts and used them in my classroom for learning provocations. They can be viewed from both sides and are very cute and versatile! $.99 for 1 frame.
2. Small broom and dustpan sets – These are great to keep around the house. Sturdy and simple! $1.99 for 1 set.
3. 6-outlet power strip with switch (2 pack) – We always seem to be in need of these in the house. This is a great price, especially since you get two! $6.99 for 2 pack.
4. Small flower arrangement – Ikea offers many different silk flowers and containers. This one comes with a paper container and ribbon, but others come as flower and pot separately. I have one with pretty pink flowers that I love to use for my Shabbos table! $4.99 for one arrangement.
5. Tablet stand – If you have a tablet without a case that converts to a stand, this is a great tool! Much cheaper than most cases! $3.49 for one. Comes in a few colors.
6. Clip magnets – These are great for refrigerators, classrooms, and other magnetic surfaces. A similar silver product at Office Depot runs $5.79 for a 3-pack and at Amazon runs $8.99 for 12. $2.49 for 4 pack at Ikea.
7. Dish scrubber – These great kitchen tools come in three different colors, which is great for keeping kosher. They work well for Yom Tov, too. $1.99 for 1.
8. 18-piece plastic silverware set – We use these in our lunches everyday. They are great for producing less waste and we love that we can have different colors for meat and dairy. They are sturdy and easily washable! $3.29 for 18 pieces.
9. White 5″ x 7″ picture frames – This is another great frame available at Ikea. Perfect for a variety of uses and for gifts! $2.99 for one.
10. Wooden hangers – These are great for the coat closet and heavier clothes! Cheaper than Amazon and Walmart for similar products! $4.49 for 8.
11. Art stampers – These cute little markers make a shape stamp when used. I love these for my PreK and first grade classrooms. Perfect for home art as well! $4.99 for 6 pack.
12. Paint brushes – These are great for home and school. Great price! $2.99 for 6.
13. Kids’ art smocks – These are one of my favorite deals! I have dealt with various smocks over the years as a teacher. These are superior to all others! They fit kids of all sizes, are easy to put on, close easily, and wipe clean quickly! They also dry well and are easy to hang! We bought them for all our early childhood classes at my school. $4.99 for 1 smock.
14. Thick colored pencils – These are great for smaller hands. They come in a variety of colors and are sturdy! $3.99 for 10. Much cheaper than the Crayola Write Start colored pencils on Amazon.
15. Melty beads – My students and my kids enjoy making projects with these. Great for camps, vacation, days off, and regular craft projects. These come in a 1 lb. 9 oz. bucket and are a great deal compared with similar products on Amazon and at Michaels. $5.99 for one bucket.
16. Lidded plastic containers – These containers would be great for organizing desk supplies, trinkets, and more! I love the color options! You could even use them for gifts! $2.99 for 3.
17. Plastic people toys – These are super cute and my students love them! Great for home or school! $3.99 for 5 pack.
18. Plastic children’s bibs – I wish these had been around when my boys were younger. The ones we had were nice, but much more expensive. $2.99 for 2 wipe-off washable bibs!
19. Mesh bath toy bag – Here is another product I wish was around when my boys were younger. We again had something similar, but not as nice! Perfect for storing and cleaning kids’ bath toys. $4.99 for one.
20. Dinner napkins – We try to use cloth napkins when we can, but it is always nice to have backup paper napkins when our cloth ones are not clean. These are perfect for Shabbos and are a great deal. We have compared prices with Amazon and Walmart. $1.99 for 50 ($.04 each) colored napkins or $2.49 for 100 ($.025 each) white napkins.
21. Round cork trivettes – We love to use these for dairy meals. We have some square wooden ones for meat meals. At $3.99 for 3, these are a fantastic deal!
22. Napkin holders – If we didn’t already have one, I would definitely buy one of these! Such a beautiful napkin holder. Would make a great gift with some napkins and other household items! $3.99 for one.
23. Step stool – Good for kids and adults. Compact yet sturdy and a deal at $5.99!
24. LED light bulbs – I still do not know the ins and outs of the new LED bulbs, but these are great for a variety of uses around the house. At $.99 each, they are a steal!
25. Unscented tealights – We use tealights for Shabbos and these are an unbeatable deal. At Walmart a 100 pack runs for $12.52 and at Bed Bath and Beyond for $5.99. $3.99 for 100 at Ikea!
26. Rain gear – Umbrellas and ponchos are a great deal at Ikea! We have one poncho for every family member. We have tried other brands, but they always got hot and were smelly after a few uses. The ponchos have gone up $2 since my last post, but they are still the best we have ever found! $5.99 for small umbrella, $8.99 for poncho. I could not find the price for the large umbrellas on this visit, but they were $4.99 in 2017.
What do you like to buy at Ikea?
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Surviving on a tight budget 
Wow, great deals! Thanks!
On Sat, Dec 29, 2018, 9:59 PM Surviving on a tight budget rmk104 posted: “One of my favorite things to do when I have a day off with > no major commitments is to go to our local Ikea. It was so exciting when > Ikea opened up in St. Louis. Most people think Ikea is just a place for > home decor and furnishings. However, we have found ” >