So, what's the big deal about a trip to IKEA, you might ask? Well, for starters the closest one to me is 4 hours away, so I had to get up and leave at an insane hour to get there when they opened.
Beth and Jon were meeting me in Chattanooga and were running a little late, so I took advantage of the chance to grab breakfast at Chick Fil A.
And then we were off to Atlanta. Immediately upon arriving we made a beeline for the warehouse and picked up the things we knew for sure we wanted- a dresser for the baby's room and a pair of big Expedit bookcases for my house. We had to play serious furniture Tetris in the back of the 4Runner, but we managed to get everything to fit.
After grabbing some lunch, we headed back to IKEA to wander through the showroom.
We gawked and goggled at all the cool stuff.
And generally went nuts over all the different organizers they stock.
I'm totally in love with this pull-out cabinet next to the refrigerator. I foresee one being installed in my kitchen at some point.
After browsing through the showroom we made a quick trip through the marketplace so Beth and Jon could get some organizers for the new dresser, and also so I could pick up some baskets and a new floor lamp for the bedroom.
And then it was time to drive back to Chattanooga. J drove for me since there were so many boxes in the way. He's taller and it's easier for him to see around them.
And this is what the back of the 4Runner looked like before we transferred the boxes of dresser parts over to Beth and Jon's CRV. It was totally packed!
I've since assembled the two Expedits- one lives in the dining room and holds books and dishes on display, and the other has found its way into my scrap room, where it already has a twin. My house feels so much more organized now!