After the lease is signed, you know where to go when you want some cheap-o stuff for your apartment- a new couch for under 200 bucks, mixing bowls for less than 5 bucks, or a set of pots and pans for $29.99. There’s really just one place, and that’s Ikea.

For you Ikea newbies, the first thing that you need to know is that all furniture is to be assembled by you, and usually with just an allen wrench. Inconvenient? Yes. But that’s part of the experience. It’s also cheap and has Swedish Meatballs. You win some, you lose some!

If you’re in New York (or moving there soon) the deal is getting a lot sweeter. No more buses to Jersey, and no more long corridors at the bus station. There is an Ikea coming to Brooklyn, and someone has already dedicated a blog to it. The Unofficial Ikea blog has a lot of details to prep you for your shopping experience. In many cities, Ikea is where everyone should go at least once, when they’re starting out on their own. And if you don’t live near one, you can try shopping online! Or moving to Sweden. Whichever.

Congrats New Yorkers!

Tags: furnishing, IKEA