Shopping can be hard on our wallets these days - with furniture and homewares among some of the most expensive items to buy. The likes of kitchen utensils and crockery, pots, and pans often feel like a mundane, and costly, purchase.
It may seem convenient to most to hop in the car and head to Ikea. Everything you could ever want or need is under one roof; a maze-like department store that somehow persuades you to fill up your trolley with mounds of stuff you never knew you wanted - or needed.
But shopping there is often too chaotic for me. It's a fun evening or day trip out for some, that for me feels like a chore; struggling to find a space, dodging a traffic jam of trolleys and small children, and spending ages trying to find the right location for flatpack furniture.
As someone who admittedly loves shopping, as I talked about in my love for charity shopping and the new bargain outlet in Trafford, I was therefore thrilled to discover Sostrene Grene. Dubbed 'little Ikea', the small shops with sites in Altrincham and Manchester city centre, are a Danish-owned multi-category retail chain.
And much like a visit to Ikea, the shop layouts take you in a loop, clockwise around the venue from the entrance. I visited the Altrincham store which, although appearing small on the outside, feels like the Tardis - it just keeps on going.
Delicious smells of scented candles and oils greeted me upon entering, with calming music playing in the background. It already instantly felt like it was going to be a serene shopping experience.
The shop, which opened in 2018, is a haven for tasteful gifts, trinkets and miscellaneous goods, as well as homewares, craft supplies and furniture.
Shelves of pastel-coloured vases, ceramic pots, notebooks and tea towels greeted me after walking through the glass door. Beneath were small egg cups and Easter-themed gift boxes - all priced under £10.
The shop floor then takes you round to more kitchen products, including stylish jugs, bowls and plates, followed by cloths, towels, placemats and glass jars. There are rows of dishes, oven trays and various baking trays all priced at just a few pounds each. It has any and everything you could want or need for your kitchen at home.
Now on to my favourite section - a wall of flavoured loose-leaf teas. Do-it-yourself paper bags offer a pick-n-mix of amazing flavours at £1.78 a bag, including Twilight Glow (apple, lemongrass and liquorice) and Forest Breeze (wild berries), along with metal tea strainers.
Sostrene Grene is also the perfect place to buy all the small things you can never think where to go for – like napkin rings, nail clippers, kids’ craft kits, and egg cups. It's a handy one-stop shop that is also perfect for small gift ideas.
The maze-like design then guides shoppers through to various coloured wax candles, priced from just 80p. Arts and crafts are next up, with paper bags, wrapping paper, card and various pens and pencils.
It's like a sweet shop for adults, all displayed lovingly and appealingly on shelves, in colour coordinated formats beside mini chalkboards with handwritten prices on. Large blank canvases, paint brushes and various other craft goods fill the wooden shelves from floor to ceiling.
Now, back to what I said about the shop being deceptively big... just when you think you must be nearing the exit, another turn around the corner greets you with more filled shelves of goods, from furniture to picture frames and other small home decor.
There are stylish chairs in various colours, priced affordably between £50 and £100, bean bags, rugs, and tables along with cushions, footstools and mirrors. Now, of course there isn't as much variety as its large department store counterparts, and it probably wouldn't be anyone's first stop for furniture shopping, but with a selection of colours and styles, there are affordable pieces that would suit anybody's home.
For items that are typically some of the most ridiculously expensive, like picture frames, canvases, and mirrors, they are for more affordable than you may expect - priced upwards from £3.38 for small photo frames to around £25 for a huge mirror.
And packed full on smaller shelves scattered around the store are cute trinket boxes, candle holders, mirrors, lamps and quite literally anything you could imagine and that you never knew you needed, including a back scratcher, egg cups, ceramic toilet brush and rubber ice cube trays or cupcake tins.
An appealing wall of plastic flowers and plants follows, along with bathroom products - all leading to the final isle beside the tills, with retro sweets, snacks and chocolate even available to be browsed through while in the queue. I couldn't resist but pick up a bag of hard-boiled lemon sweets, along with a pack of rice crackers while I made my way to the exit.
Customers can also expect frequent product drops and seasonal collections, including contemporary interiors, hobby items, children’s toys, soft furniture, kitchen accessories and more for the likes of Easter and Christmas.
For anyone who loves a leisurely browse with no particular aim - this shop could be quite dangerous and leave you needing a hand with your bags. Much like for lovers of the middle aisle of Aldi or the towering shelves of B&M, the shop virtually tells you what you need instead of the other way around. It's an extremely calming and pleasant shopping experience that doesn't burn a hole in the wallet.
The nearest stores in and around Greater Manchester include Cross Street in the city centre, George Street in Altrincham, and Newgate Street in Chester. Details are available online here.
