NOW CLOSED IKEA Storage Feedback thread - open to all MNers with any IKEA storage - you could win £75

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the MN testers who received one of the items below to test and have been trying it out for the last week or so.

The items being tested were:

ANTONIUS wire basket
GODMORGON bathroom cabinet
STUVA storage bench
TJUSIG bench with shoe storage
EKTORP BROMMA footstool
RATIONELL VARIERA plate holder

IKEA welcome all feedback on all of their storage products so if you are a ANTONIUS fan already or have a BILLY bookcase (etc) please let them know what you think of it here - everyone who is not an official tester but who adds some feedback on any IKEA storage product will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will get £75

IKEA would like to know what you think generally but also would like to know your responses to the following questions. In your response please state the name of the product you are testing or that you own. For some products (eg the plate holder) not all the questions will be relevant so please answer accordingly.

Item name
Function - how do you use the item?
What do you store in the item?
Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?
How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?

Thanks and best of luck

MNHQ

Another TROFAST fan here.

Function - how do you use the item?
Child bedroom storage - we have one low unit and plan to get a second one so we can push them both together to create a sort of play table with storage underneath.

What do you store in the item?
Toys and games

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?

It matches the other furniture in the room. White, modern furniture so it would go with pretty much any decor we might use. I wouldn't have chosen it if it didn't match. I'd really like it if the different sizes of boxes came in all the different colours. I like using a mix of the bright colours, but if I wanted a whole unit with the largest box I'd be restricted to blue. I'd like the lids to come in matching colours too. The rest of the house is fairly modern - lots of ikea stuff (partly because we live about 10 minutes from a store).

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
It's great for separating different types of toys. One large box has dressing up stuff, a small one has trains and small train set pieces, another medium sized one has lego etc. DS is almost 3 and it's easy for him to use and pull out whatever box he wants to play with. It also makes it easier for him to put away toys in the right place.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
It serves its function really well and at the moment is a really good height to play with toys on as well as storing them!

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
We can add to it when need and it's flexible enough to cope with changes in our storage needs over time.

Another unofficial one, I hope its useful

Lack bookcase
Function - We have three of them in our playroom/front room to put as much of the kids stuff on as possible
What do you store in the item? - plastic tubs with toys, rows of books, the hamster cage, boxed games, craft kits
Does it match with their other furniture? - Yes
How important is this? - kind of, but not too much, Is available in 3 colours so not too difficult if it did have to match
What kind of style is your house generally? - IKEA, functional, wipe-clean, moderatley priced
How does it help with organisation in your home? - Means all toys have a home, even if they are not full all of the time!
Has it made things easier for you? - Hell yes!
Do the children use it? - Yes, the stuff I need out of reach can go real high up, so I've put all the free-for-all toys on the lower shelves
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? - Chunky, wipe-clean and look miles more expensive than they actually were.
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? - Superb value. Give masses of storage space for a relatively small footprint

I love my Lack bookcases! They do come in 3 colours, but my local store only had white, which was my second choice, but they do look good anyway. Just wish the store was nearer my home (Leeds is the nearest one to HU17). Delivery charges can be so expensive and I tend to write a list through the year and then take the big car once a year and do it all in one go. IKEA, if you are listening, please open a store in East Yorkshire!!!!!!!

Not an official tester.

Item name: Expedit with Kassett boxes

Function - how do you use the item?
For storage in our living room

What do you store in the item?
Our DS's toys

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?
It matches other pieces of furniture in style and relatively closely in colour. The style of our house is quite modern and simple.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
It helps a lot! Before we bought it, the toys were literally everywhere in our living room which is not big as it is. Now they kept in the boxes and we only take out one box at the time. Plus, it's great to be able to tidy them all away at the end of the day,.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
it's practical, price was good, looks good.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?

Non-tester

BILLY bookcase

Function-in the dining room as a bookcase

What do you store in the item - Partners overflowing collection of Comic collections

Does it match other furniture - Yes it does even tho we didn't purposefully try to match it

How important is this? Not really important as most things do not match

What kind of style is your house generally? Cluttered lived in and ecclectic, Our 3 piece suite is all different colours and styles

How does it help with organisation in your home? It fits easily into the room and is accessible, things are easy to see

Has it made things easier for you? Yers I no longer fall over comic books
Do the children use it? No it is specificalyy DP's bookcase

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? It is adaptable it comes in many sizes and finishes and looks amazing

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special. My son is called Billy so we had to get it really

Non Tester

Item name Trofast

Function - how do you use the item? We have two tall ones in the kids' bedroom and two short ones in the living room. We have a variety of large, medium and small tubs in them in various colours.

What do you store in the item? In the living room we have a small drawer for business paperwork, a small drawer for general junk/papers/useful bits, 3 tubs for toys and then a space at the bottom of one for things like phone books/catalogues. In the kids' bedroom we use about 3 tubs for dd2's clothes, one tub for clothes that are a bit big (waiting to move into other tubs) and the rest for toys.

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? It does really, in particular being white was a great advantage as it tends to fit in with most rooms. We have a lot of Ikea furniture so that probably helps too. It's a definite advantage to fit in with the decor but I'd probably buy it even if it didn't because of it's value for money.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? It's great. It makes clearing toys up so quick as you can pull a tub out, fill it to the brim, stick it back in and get the next one out until the room is tidy. I just wish our room was bigger to fit more in . Dd2 is a bit small but likes to play with them. She's quite happy to sit with a tub and empty it and refill it. Dd1 can get stuff out by herself so great for when she plays upstairs with friends (I don't have to run up and down all the time).

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? It's so quick to tidy toys away into.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? I think it works really well (particularly for toy storage) and the colours of the tubs make it appealing but also it's a decent price.

We have a Besta combination.

Function - how do you use the item?
We hide the TV in it, have open shelving, closed storage, and display 5 backlit photos in some of the cupboard doors - all on one system

What do you store in the item?
Toys, a printer and printing stuff, TV & DVD, DVDS, books

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?
Yes, plain white, contemporary, with bright colours from the photos - exactly the same as the house really.
How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
Yes, it's great to hide away the TV and it's very roomy for toys. Son uses it.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
The ability to put in the photos, which we have back lit - looks like a work of art. It's height, it's floor to ceiling and makes the room look bigger.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
The mix and match ability. What we've put together for that price is great too.

We also have Billy bookcases around the house and Malm bits.

Item name: Expedit shelving the 2x2 one

Function - how do you use the item? I have one 2x2 high up on the wall in the lounge for things like photos. I have 2 stacked up in the lounge for my DDs toys

What do you store in the item? Books and toys

Does it match with their other furniture? It's white so goes with everything

How important is this? I don't think it is too important as I have a mismatched house anyway

What kind of style is your house generally? I would describe me as tidyish, its a 2 up 2 down ex council house.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Yes DD can see all her toys rather than them being shoved in a toybox

Has it made things easier for you? yes it means there is a place for her toys and it looks good too

Do the children use it? DD can get her toys from the lower shelves

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? Cheap, strong construction and it's attractive.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? see point above.

We have a few Ikea bits and pieces, including an old baby changing table that has long since been discontinued (sadly). Others are as follows:

Item name
BILLY bookcases

Function - how do you use the item?
We have five of these in our kids' playroom, and another two in the study.

What do you store in the item?
Toys and books. Some of these are in IKEA boxes on the shelves, but most are just loose. The ones in the study also have old videos, DS games, CDs and a few ornaments that had no other useful home.

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?
No, it doesn't match. We live in a Victorian, very un-IKEA house, with a mixture of old and new furniture. Matching is not my priority!

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
Yes, it helps enormously as without these we would be drowning in a sea of toys. The kids use the shelves they can reach but prefer to use the floor.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
The slim BILLYs were the only shelves we could find that would fit in our alcoves. Overall, I like the fact that these offer efficient storage at a reasonable price. I also like the adjustable shelves. The one thing I don't like is the flimsy backing which has come off on a couple of the bookcases.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
Price mostly.

---

Item name
EFFECTIV storage combinations

Function - how do you use the item?
We have four of these in our study, and another two in bedrooms.

What do you store in the item?
The study ones hold various papers (one is drawers with the filing insert which holds all important documents), books, photos, mementos, unwanted presents, wrapping paper (the drawers are great as they hold an full roll) and piled on the top are old boxes with various cables and other peripherals. The ones in bedrooms hold books and toys.

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?
As above, these do not match other furniture. Although arguably our study is 90% IKEA furnished so there is some matching there!

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
Our study was a disaster zone before, so the storage makes a huge difference. The filing drawer is probably the most useful of the lot.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
With these ones, I like the robustness of the units, and the fact that the kids can shove in their toys without me worrying that the backs will fall off. I also like the doors that go on the front.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
The robustness of these, together with price, was what prompted us to buy additional units for our boys' bedrooms. Also I like being able to add to the units by putting additional units on top.

we have a shoerack which is fab, a billy bookcase which is great for the kids books and toys, lots of leskvik range

I like the price, quality and durability, choice of colours but what I like best is the customer service and aftersales - just got some replacement bits for a set of drawers - no questions asked, sent out straight away. fab service

Have lots of Billy bookcases

Function used for display purposes and our music system fits nicely on a shelf at a convenient height
What do you store in the item?
Books, photo frames, smaller storage boxes along the bottom
Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? House is very much lived in, with a variety of styles. Have a mix of classic older hand-me-downs and most newer furniture is Ikea
How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
We have found you can never have too many bookcases in other words too many bloody books and they are an essential part of our furnishings
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? Excellent quality for the price, and can hold a lot more than you would initially think.
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? It's really adaptable so you can have oversized books on the same bookcase as the really small ones without it looking ridiculous

Billy Bookcase (with glass doors)
Function

• Storage In the sitting room What do you store in the item
• books, cd's and dvds (in those orange and green cardboard boxes). Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?

• It suites the room as a whole (autumny colours) I like this to go together but not necessarily to match.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? Billy bookcases are great, the only downside is that with the glass doors you can't move the shelves but it looks lovely and I no longer have to dust shelves. The children use it to get out their DVD's (but not to put them back unfortunately) What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? looks good and excellent value for money. Recently had to buy a whole new storage system due to an accident and just went straight for replacement billy. What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? The glass doors are fab, makes the whole thing look very sleek.

Expedit (4*) with 2 cupboards and a variety of baskets
Function

• playroom storage

What do you store in the item? Childrens toys in baskets, board games and books on shelves, special 'secret' toys in cupboards (one per child) and anything else we can stuff in! Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? The childrens bedrooms are a mishmash of furniture bought as they have grown up (mostly ikea stuff). I don't find it important to have a 'look' in the girls rooms How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? It is really easy to store the toys, the baskets make it easy to organise the toys and so the children can help tidy up as there is a place for everything. What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? The flexibility What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? The variety of baskets that fit, when the children were younger we had small pink baskets in it, as they have got older we have replaced them with cupboards, wicker baskets and some bright red canvas? ones.

Item name
Trofast (the three storey stepped one)
Function - how do you use the item?
Under-stairs toy storage in the hall.
What do you store in the item?
Roys for DS1 and 2.
Does it match with their other furniture?
Ish - it's the pine-framed one and is on wooden flooring, and most of our wooden furniture is pine.
How important is this?
We don't have an uber-coordinated house but I wouldn't have bought the white formica Trofast because I thought the pine fitted in better.
What kind of style is your house generally?
Messy! Cosy, quite country-style and traditional - definitely not trendy!
How does it help with organisation in your home?
It stores some of DS1's many toys, and inevitably I bung stuff on top, like my hairdrier and brush.
Has it made things easier for you?
It wasn't as big as I'd hoped - I like the shape as it's ideal for under-stairs storage, but it could be larger and still fit under most stairs. If it were larger, it would be more convenient, as it's only soaked up about a quarter of available clutter.
Do the children use it?
Sort of!As DS1 gets older, I will encourage him to put the boxes away at the end of the day.
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
Cheap, sturdy, functional. What I like least (since you asked! ): PITA to assemble - very fiddly even for two people - not as large as it could be, and when we reassembled it in the new house, one of the slats or sides had warped and that part was impossible to rescrew, so we bodged it.
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
It's not special in itself, but I spent ages looking for this sort of under-stairs stepped system and Ikea was the only place that did one.

Oh, and I'm not an official tester.
Another one:
Item name
Billy Bookcase, the 200cm wide, beech veneer. x2
Function - how do you use the item?
Um - to shelve books...?
What do you store in the item?
BOOKS!!
Does it match with their other furniture?
They're in DH's office, which is a mess still a work in progress. They're quite bland, aren't they? But they fit in ok.
How important is this?
Meh. It's his office. He has no style. Actually no, they do fit in, because he also has an Ikea desk and Ikea filing cabinet in the same colour veneer.
What kind of style is your house generally?
Like I said, messy, country-style, trad, not trendy.
How does it help with organisation in your home?
Fab - Billy bookcases absorb books like a sponge! We still have boxes full in the loft but things are getting better. He has some of his work books in there, all his geeky detective novels, and I've colonised some shelves for overflow of mine.
Has it made things easier for you?
Yes. I can buy more books.
Do the children use it?
No, and in case they do, we bolted them to the wall. V sturdy.
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
Cheap, functional, does what it says on the tin, adjustable shelves, and reliable. Also really really easy to assemble. What I don't like - a bit indentikit. Everyone I know has Billy bookcases.
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
The price.

IKEA, if it's not too much trouble, could I ask you to sell the delicious Swedish Fish gummi sweets online? It's one hell of a schlep up to MK to stock up.

We bolted the Billy Bookcases to the wall. I should clarify that. Not the children. Though that would have worked just as well.

not an official tester...

Item name BILLY BOOKCASE
Function - how do you use the item? SHOES! IN THE HALLWAY
What do you store in the item? SHOES - TWO PAIRS PER SHELF
Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? YES, ALL THE FURNITURE IS WHITE IKEA [BLUSH]
How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? KEEPS SHOES TIDY AND OFF THE FLOOR; YES!; YES
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? CLEAN LINES
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? MUCH CHEAPER AND LESS FUSSY THAN OTHER OPTIONS, MASSIVE SO ENOUGH FOR 6 PEOPLES' SHOES

Item name
Ivar Shelving system

Function - how do you use the item?
Boys' bedroom

What do you store in the item?
large matching storage boxes - labelled, with toys in

Does it match with their other furniture?
yes

How important is this?
very

What kind of style is your house generally?
old house, traditional to modern furnishing

How does it help with organisation in your home?
means that the boys can get out large toys (railways, cars, dressing up stuff etc) easily, also put away occasionallyeasily, very easy to organise.

Has it made things easier for you?
yes

Do the children use it?
yes, daily

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
matches other stuff in the room, practical, not expensive for its purpose and usefulness. Have added to the system at various points in time and it will all match.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
versatility. It stores huge boxes for toys for small boys, but will grow to be different things as they grow older.

PS I'm not an official tester either

Item name
Billy bookcases, oak-look, tall, wide and narrow ones

Function - how do you use the item?
storage along one wall of the dining room

What do you store in the item?
Book and toys

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?
Doesn't clash with other furniture but doesn't match. Actually, have remembered we do having matching CD shelves in the living room. So matching clearly not that important to us. If our home could be said to have a style it would be junk shop/toddler proof.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
It provides vital book and toy storage plus display space for a few vases and pictures out of kids' reach. Yes, much easier (was bought in a fit of pregnant nesting and really does the job). Yes, kids use it.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
Configurable to awkward space, additions/replacements (hopefully available long term), looks good but is fairly cheap, sturdy.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
Its plain-ness.

Item name

RATIONELL VARIERA plate holder

Function - how do you use the item?

HOLDING DINNER PLATES

What do you store in the item?

PLATES

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?

IT'S WITHIN A CUPBOARD SO DOESN'T REALLY MATTER IF IT MATCHES.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?

MY DINNER PLATES ARE FAIRLY DEEP AND I CAN'T FIT VERY MANY IN A NORMAL PLATE RACK. I THINK IT MAKES THEM MORE ACCESSIBLE IF YOU STORE YOUR PLATES IN DRAWERS OR LOWER THAN EYE LEVEL. THEY'RE ALSO GOOD IF YOU HAVE PASTA PLATES.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?

MY PLATES ARE SECURE AND ARE AT LESS RISK OF BREAKING, AND MY HUSBAND NOW KNOWS WHERE THEY GO!

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?

Item name
Expedit bookcase. (149cm)

Function - how do you use the item?
Storage in DD's room - at the head of her midsleeper.

What do you store in the item?
Books and toys

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally?
Goes fine in her pink palace. It's vaguely important that it goes, but as long as it didn't clash I was happy. House is fairly plain and simple, lots of solid colours and simple lines.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it?
Works fabulously. DD (4) can easily get out and - most importantly - put away her things.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
See above.

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
Simple clean lines, lots of storage and display space.

Item name
TROFAST storage - 2 white 'step' shaped frames and associated storage bits.

Function - how do you use the item?
In bedroom pushed together in pyramid shape - have used a combination of plastic rawers, shelves, and hanging rail

What do you store in the item?
Toys, books, and at one point dresses

Does it match with their other furniture?
Yes
How important is this?
Very - for a relaxing bedroom environment
What kind of style is your house generally?
Modern with a few old pieces - airy, lots of white with a few bright / pastel accent colours - quite ikea-y!

How does it help with organisation in your home?
Lots of storage in a vertical plane - the number of drawers keeps things tidy but also easy to find
Has it made things easier for you?
yes
Do the children use it?
Yes she enjoys using it

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product?
Its flexibility - it has grown with our daughter (now 6) and will continue to be useful for years

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special?
Again, its flexibility - and the variety of accessories including different colour combinations. Also the price.

Item name EXPEDIT

Function - how do you use the item? It was intended for books/dvds/cds overflow from living room, but (with inserts) also gets used now as medicine drawer, general 'stuff' drawer (e.g. batteries, spare keys) and the bottom sections are normally piled with shoes and bags.

What do you store in the item? Hallway

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? Yes - we have other simple black-brown furniture in our living room (some IKEA). This is pretty important but our style is simple, relaxed and we add our personality with soft furnishings etc

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? It definitely helps by keeping our hallway uncluttered and giving us space for that 'stuff' that doesn't have a home. Our baby is too little to appreciate it :)

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? Keeps our hallway/home entrance deceptively tidy

What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? The ability to customise the space with inserts - I want to get some more for baby's toys!

Item name:EXPEDIT bookcase
Function - how do you use the item? We store lots and lots of toys in it.

What do you store in the item?Toys

Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? We have loads of ikea storage, it fits well with most stuff from other shops.

How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? It means I can storage everything in one place and most of the stuff is at a level the children can reach but also means I can store stuff I dont want them to use without me there, up high out of reach.

What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? Its simple, hard wearing and stylist
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? The boxes you can buy fit prefectly

Not an official tester.

Item name TROFAST
Function - how do you use the item? STORE TOYS
What do you store in the item? LITTLE PEOPLE; MEGBLOKS; COLOURING BOOKS; PLAYDOH
Does it match with their other furniture? How important is this? What kind of style is your house generally? I HAVE NO STYLE AT ALL AND DON'T CARE (TOO MUCH). DOESN'T MATCH CURRENT ROOM (DINING ROOM) BUT HOPE TO MOVE IT TO DS'S BEDROOM WHEN HE MOVES FROM COT TO BED.
How does it help with organisation in your home? Has it made things easier for you? Do the children use it? MASSIVELY HELPS. EVERYTHING CAN BE DUMPED BACK IN THE TUBS AT THE END OF THE DAY AND PUT AWAY WITHOUT TOO MUCH EFFORT. KIDS BRING OUT TUBS AT A TIME AND ARE USED TO HELP CLEAR UP AGAIN.
What do you most like about your IKEA storage product? RELATIVELY CHEAP, CAN ADD TO THE RANGE AT A LATER DATE, CHILD FRIENDLY.
What (if anything) do you think makes this product special? VERY CHILD FRIENDLY.

Not an official tester but have some general storage feedback for you: I am looking for some storage that holds both toys and books. The trouble is that most of your toy storage is not big enough for the toys we have and also is not respectable enough to be displayed anywhere except in a child's bedroom. (The last place you'd find a toy. They always want to play near everyone else). The book shelving don't always seem flexible enough to include both the very large and very small books that kids seem to have, but is geared towards the all paperback collections of adults.

I hope this helps!