Reduce, Recycle...Ikea?

With our move-in date fast approaching, the boyfriend and I made a trip to the fantastically Swedish world of Ikea. Which made me think, exactly how "Swedish" is Ikea? I mean, they have all those Swedish names for everything, but are those really Swedish names? For example, I noticed a childrens sand castle set named "Sandig". I mean, could the Swedish name for this really be THAT literal? Any Swedes out there feel free to reply. We wandered from faux living room to faux kitchen draping ourselves over couches and discussing how short is too short for an entertainment center. Two hours later we walked out with a cinnamon roll and a long list of things we don't have. I also learned that our tastes are very similar but not quite equal. For example, did you know that Californians don't use top sheets on their beds? I don't use one, but I thought it was just me. Do you use a top sheet? I explained that it gets so warm here that there is no need for one, plus it's just another thing to wash. He insisted a top sheet is the logical choice, and I am willing to give it a go. I also learned the difference between duvets and quilts, modern vintage and shabby country, meatballs and Swedish meatballs, and California and Wisconsin.





Today was my day off so I decided to stroll through Deseret Industries, a thrift store known for having a lot of everything you can imagine. That is exactly what I did. Stroll. There was so much to look at that I couldn't help but go slow. I perused the furniture, imagining everything with a fresh coat of paint and some lovely new knobs. I found myself wondering if it was better to buy new or used. Spend $50 for something ready to go (or with some assembly required) or spend $5 on something I will need to sand, paint, and get new knobs for. Hmmm. Nothing jumped out at me anyway, plus I have no measurements to go off of for the new place. I went for storage cabinets and desks, and left with three tank tops. Oh well.

Lease signing is Wednesday and I'm excited, even though I have a ton to do. At least I know it is do-able, and I am still very excited to see the boyfriends face everyday. I've been missing it a lot lately.