IKEA is a blessing and a curse. Good design. Environmentally friendly products. SO much to choose from. And therin lies the problem. FIVE HOURS LATER I leave IKEA making ‘buh buh’ sounds. I’m pooped (though I still manage to eat a donut in the carpark). I realise that I went too far. I stayed too long. All those shinies were just too much for me.

I’ve realised the way to approach IKEA is in stages. Today’s stage was mostly about the kitchen. I’d forgotten that starting a house from scratch takes time. My brain has been consumed with whether I really need a potato masher (no) and a box to put my smelly cheese in (yes!). I live simply but buying all the utensils to make a kitchen workable is a mission. Now thankfully it’s almost complete.

I never thought I could get so excited about turquoise plates made of tempered glass. This time last year the idea of buying plates seemed proposterous. And here I am with the passing of time, making a nest, celebrating colourful plates and how useful they’re going to be.

Moving forward, Friday’s stage will be the bed and mattress. Then there are desks, dining chairs, office chairs, tables, etc etc. It’s exciting. I love it. I’m grateful to finally have the designs of my choosing in my very own hoose. Yay!

Have you got any IKEA stories?