Caren Explains IKEA as a Relationship Test

A trip to IKEA should really be a requirement in all budding relationships -- a litmus test, if you will. Maybe ministers can add it to the list of things involved in pre-marital counseling classes.

I say this because you can learn a lot about a person based on how he or she tackles this Swedish Fun-House of Furnishings. Deciding how you want to live in 263 sq feet of space will reveal quite a bit about your...

- Patience
- Imagination
- Taste (or lack thereof)
- Spending habits
- Organizational skills

The true test, though, will be when the couple gets home and tries to assemble furniture called Utby and Malm using IKEA's cartoonish instructions, wooden pegs and strange screws.

Unfortunately this test should really be administered at the beginning of a relationship, but a new boyfriend or girlfriend to take you to IKEA might freak them out, kind of like this someecard:

Caren Explains: Moving and IKEA

I am moving on Saturday. This is a stressful process because I am also working two jobs, volunteering, etc.

As I prepare to move, I am trying to visualize my new room and am reminded of IKEA. I love visiting their store because you can almost "place house" in it, that is, if you don't get lost in its maze-like layout... Looking for a postmodern family room? Here's 688 sq feet of neo-eclectic living! Or how about an eco-friendly kitchen? Try out the recyclable chairs in the showroom!

But my IKEA filing cabinet at work is broken, reminding me that IKEA might be cheap, but their products are a pain to put together. It took 4.467 hours to build it, when really I should've bought a pre-assembled one from Staples for $40 more.

Here is a great piece from Esquire illustrating this conundrum: