Where to Buy: Lap Desk, Necklace Holder, etc.

GearMaven

As a California transplant, I'm finding it hard to find certain items here in Galway. Can you help direct me to shops which might carry these items?

Lap desk (for reading or writing or even eating comfortably from an armchair; plastic or wooden top with padded bottom that rests on your lap)

Necklace holder (often found shaped like a dress mannequin, about 12-18 inches tall on which to hang jewelry)


Grip strips (to prevent small rugs from sliding on wood floors, sticks to rug and rubberized or sticky on opposite side to prevent slippage)

Plexiglass or plastic sheets I can cut to size to fit on wire refrigerator shelves so items won't tip over (or welcome other ideas?)

Scented drawer liners and/or stickable shelf liners

Will appreciate any referrals to stores where these items might be found. Thanks.

Jan

LadyMayBelle

I'm pretty sure you'd get the lapdesk, the necklace holder, the grippy things in Atlantic Homecare or Woodies.

The scented liners you may find in Dunnes, Debenhams or try the Treasure Chest on Shop Street (you might pay a bit too though there). You'd also get the necklace holder there, but if you are looking for an inexpensive one you'd get them in those Zhivago-come tack stuff shops on Shop Street. (EDIT: I read you want a pretty massive one, so maybe stick with Debenhams and Treasure Chest)

Plastic perspex; McDonaghs maybe? Not sure about that one!

Eviledna

Lap desk
Necklace holder
Scented drawer liners and/or stickable shelf liners

All of these are available in the homewares and jewlery section of TK Maxx

Grip strips
Plexiglass or plastic sheets

B&Q have both of these, and if you take measurements they will cut the plexiglass to size!!;)

Xiney

GearMaven wrote: »

Plexiglass or plastic sheets I can cut to size to fit on wire refrigerator shelves so items won't tip over (or welcome other ideas?)

I'd say the large plastic bendy cutting boards from Ikea would be around the right size for a mini fridge's shelves. 2 for 1.99 - of course Ikea is in Dublin so you'd want to be going for something else at the same time (or know someone who's going)

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/90131935

Maja

GearMaven wrote: »

As a California transplant, I'm finding it hard to find certain items here in Galway. Can you help direct me to shops which might carry these items?

Lap desk (for reading or writing or even eating comfortably from an armchair; plastic or wooden top with padded bottom that rests on your lap)

Necklace holder (often found shaped like a dress mannequin, about 12-18 inches tall on which to hang jewelry)

Jan

- I bought lap desk some time ago in IKEA - unfortunately- couldnt fine any here and its cool, but if you want to use it for laptop (which it was designed for) I dont recomend ,because its overheating!

-I bought nice necklace holder in NEXT some time ago and they have them from time to time.

GearMaven

Thanks much, everyone. Those are some great ideas, and I haven't yet tried some of the shops (TK Maxx, NEXT, McDonaghs or IKEA). Thought I'd covered the whole city! Will head out tomorrow again to check these out and may try the others again if no luck, this time asking for more senior staff or just cruising every aisle more carefully.

This past week I did check with B&Q, both Woodies (both original and former Atlantic), Debenhams, Dunnes, and Treasure Chest. Perhaps the staff I asked may not have been fully knowledgeable about the store inventory. Wasn't that nicely diplomatic? (I've had many experiences so far where customers are asking staff for certain items, are told they aren't available or the store doesn't stock them, and we'll then direct the customer to the aisle where they actually are. Frustrating! I guess some folks are afraid to say they don't know!)

Well, IKEA will have to wait for my next trip east. I just saw an ad in The Irish Times or Independent and was excited to know there was a store in country. Had recently just visited my first IKEA near San Francisco and was impressed with the wide selection of products. Looking forward to a trip here.

Oh, as follow-up, just found the mannequin-style necklace holders at Standuns in Spiddal today...and on sale at that. They are smaller than I wanted, but I'll improvise with a little homemade box on which to place them so the longer necklaces can hang down fully.

Appreciate all your help!

Acoshla

I saw lap trays like that in Tesco actually a few days ago, it was Tesco in Ballinasloe though which is huuuuuge but the one in Galway could be worth a shot.

GearMaven

Oh, drat! I was just in the Tesco in Ballinasloe very late this eve, but didn't see this email and was only looking to pick up milk. I'll have to check the one in Galway in case. Thanks.

And--success!--found something to line refrigerator shelves...colorful striped heavy plastic place mats in the secondary Tesco shop here in Galway which work great. Now nothing falls over, and they don't seem to hamper the air circulation. Two down!