product of the week - Ikea Expedit shelving units

Ok, so it's not a new product, but I like to think of it as an "oldy but a goody". I have 5 of these throughout my house, and whilst that may seem a little excessive on initial thought, they're all currently put to excellent use.

Reasons why I love the Expedit? Here are but a few:

• variety - the Expedit is currently available in a number of sizes, ranging from a 1 cube x 4 cube style (narrow and tall) to a 4 cube x 4 cube style. It is also available in white, birch and walnut colours;
• value for money - priced from $89 - $249 per shelving unit (depending on size), the Expedit is a relatively inexpensive piece of furniture, and yet my experience is that it doesn't appear cheap or to be of poor quality (compared with some other similar units I have purchased from bargain shops);
• versatility - pre-children, my husband and I utilised a 4x4 Expedit as a kitchen cupboard. It now lives in the nursery, housing toys, books, blankets, and clothes;
• appearance - simple, sleek lines scream Scandinavian design, and allows for your own creativity and displays to become the focus point;
• ability to customise - from the drawer and door inserts available in white, red or black, to a large array (does Ikea ever do anything to a small extent?!) of baskets and storage boxes that fit into the cubes, the Expedit's appearance can easily be altered, depending on its required function or your desire for something different!

I've also recently stumbled onto Grippiks Surface Accents, a Sydney-based company that manufactures and sells online a range of pre-measured, pre-cut graphic prints that stick to Ikea furniture. There are currently 6 designs available for Expedit drawer and door inserts - they're worth checking out if you want something a bit different for the nursery or playroom, without the hassle of cutting wallpaper yourself! Now why didn't I think of that?
I could go on all day, but, in summary, if you're looking for a relatively easy Ikea piece to put together (I have actually managed to put one together without help from my husband!), that provides a space for housing all manner of children's gear, I highly recommend the Ikea Expedit.