Nearest / easiest Ikea

Hi

new-ish to the slope ... can anyone help ??

i need a few things and I've been looking for a while. No car, was going to get the free bus from manhattan to elizabeth and see what i needed and then go back in a van/truck (or car, but need a queen bed frame and wonder if the box will fit in a car)...

then i wondered which bridges and tunnels i might not be allowed to use with a u-haul truck, then i looked at the ikea site and saw one on long island - no tunnels !

then i noticed the bridge from here to New Jersey, pops out really close to ikea Elizabeth ...

then i thought that maybe i can't use that bridge with a van,

then i thought i'd just ask you lot since i'm sure it's easier and you've helped me with a few other tricky questions ...

Do a search and then PM Armchair Warrior. He'll offer you a very fair price to take you to Ikey in a van. He's been on this board for a long time and has helped many people.

i knew posting here would be the right thing to do !

Whatever Ikea you end up going to, it's a good idea to check out their web site and call ahead first and make sure they have what you want in stock.
I found out there is no point in renting a van when they don't have the dining room set you need.
Also, sometimes they can give you the bin numbers in the stock area for the Ikea that you are going to.
Of course it's always fun to spend the day there and eat Swedish meatballs.

thanks

my problem is this ... i moved here but couldn't get the queen box spring up the stairs of my new place .. people want silly money (Sleepy's 700 dollars) for a split box spring ..

so i thought i'd just get a bed that i can just plonk the mattress onto, that i can build in the room, i can't tell from the site which one of these will do the job ... hence the idea to go on the free bus first ...

fed up of sleeping on the mattress on the floor now, it's been 4 months !!

thanks again ...

all ideas gladly considered !

I cannot tell you what horrid experiences I've had with Sleepy's ("Is your husband at home? We'd rather talk with him, as he's in charge."). I'm so sorry you've been dealing with them. The split box spring is a PAIN IN THE BUTT!!! (Fortunately, when my ex and I divorced, I didn't get custody of it!)

Agreed with all previous posters - phone ahead to Ikea and then butter up Mr. Armchair (who is a sweetie, judging from all his posts ). A great way to get to know a long-time Sloper and get the bed of your dreams in the meantime. (Ultimately I found a fold-up futon worked best for me.)

- L

you can definitely use the goethal's bridge with a van if you end up at ikea Elizabeth. There's also one in Paramus, NJ which is just about as far, kay maybe a bit more (but I'm originally from Jersey and as far as I'm concerned everything is 20 minutes away...) though you'd haveta go up to the GWB and take rt 4 out to there. Usually if they dont have what yer lookin for in Elizabeth they probably have it in Paramus, and vice versa.


and yes, don't forget the Swedish Meatballs!

alilbritofbrooklyn wrote: thanks

my problem is this ... i moved here but couldn't get the queen box spring up the stairs of my new place .. people want silly money (Sleepy's 700 dollars) for a split box spring ..

so i thought i'd just get a bed that i can just plonk the mattress onto, that i can build in the room, i can't tell from the site which one of these will do the job ... hence the idea to go on the free bus first ...

fed up of sleeping on the mattress on the floor now, it's been 4 months !!

thanks again ...

all ideas gladly considered !

i recommend the ikea Malm bed for this, btw. we've had a queen sized one for 4 or 5 years, and it's held up very well. i think it looks classy, and i don't miss the box spring. (of course, immediately previous to this i had a futon, so YMMV)


IMPORTANT: if you do get the malm (or maybe any other ikea bed), PM me, because there is a problem with the directions for how to treat one of the connectors (an anchor bolt). i've already been through this, and i'd be happy to save you the agony by telling you what the directions should say. (it's kind of lengthy to describe in a post, although the solution is very easy.)

bridge - malm

all good tips ..

i had a 'frame bed' once, with slats, at my old place, it had a stick holding up a central bar running the length of the bed supposedly supporting the slatted base, all you had to do was roll over and ''thump" the bar fell away and you were left sleeping on a wooden hammock that felt like it was about to give way at any minute !

getting the free elizabeth bus this morning - keep posting !

thanks again

rtraindweller wrote: you can definitely use the goethal's bridge with a van if you end up at ikea Elizabeth. There's also one in Paramus, NJ

Definitely use the Gothals bridge to return, not the Paramus, that way you miss 1/2 the traffic on the SI Expressway

(but tale the Holland tunnel to get there so you don't pay the $9 exit fee on the Verizlona

alilbritofbrooklyn wrote:
so i thought i'd just get a bed that i can just plonk the mattress onto,

Make sure you get a mattress that was designed to work with a platform and not a box spring.

Also don't forget to check craigslist. I got my bed frame for less than 1/2 of what it cost new and didn't have to go to NJ to get it.


If you do go to Ikea go to Elizabeth. The one on LI is way more crowded and harder to get to

And the 3% tax in Jersey makes up for the tolls if you buy any significant amount of stuff.

Gonna swim against the tide on this one -- getting to Elizabeth can be such a colossal hassle that I prefer the Ikea in Hicksville.

Of course, I prefer not going at all to going! and if you go, go early.

Wherever you go, do yourself a favor and go early. Get there when they open their doors, have a 99 cent breakfast, and then shop and get out of there before the mob takes over.

Paramus is my personal fave, but is closed Sunday, so Saturday tends to be pretty crowded. If you can get to it on a weekday, even a weekday evening, it's pretty empty and enjoyable.

Elizabeth is OK. Having experienced what felt like out of control mobs in the NJ IKEAs, I was stunned to see that the Hicksville one is twice as bad.

OK

thanks for all of the advice ...

been and gone and done it !

went on free bus this morning, chose a bed and reserved it (until closing tonight so presumably it'll be there first thing in the morning)

I looked at the malm but chose something with more ground clearance so i can shove stuff under it !


reserved a uhaul for 8am tomorrow morning -

heading for Elizabeth, will take the latest advice, get there early, have breakfast and quick walk round, home before the crowds have gathered ...

so ... final question ... can i take a Uhaul all the way 'round the bottom' ie over the verazzano ?? i've never been that way, i could find my way onto manhattan and off again but as i'm paying by the mile ...

thanks

alilbritofbrooklyn wrote: OK

thanks for all of the advice ...

been and gone and done it !

went on free bus this morning, chose a bed and reserved it (until closing tonight so presumably it'll be there first thing in the morning)

I looked at the malm but chose something with more ground clearance so i can shove stuff under it !


reserved a uhaul for 8am tomorrow morning -

heading for Elizabeth, will take the latest advice, get there early, have breakfast and quick walk round, home before the crowds have gathered ...

so ... final question ... can i take a Uhaul all the way 'round the bottom' ie over the verazzano ?? i've never been that way, i could find my way onto manhattan and off again but as i'm paying by the mile ...

thanks

Pleae don't do this tommrow as there will be major street closings due to the MS Bike tour

http://nyc.gov/html/dot/html/motorist/wkndtraf.shtml

marvellous ...

and I commute 125 kms a week by bike ...

i REALLY need to think about the websites i visit regularly !