Best Practices for Putting Together Furniture
Whether you’re moving, experiencing a major life change, or are ready for something fresh in your space, purchasing new furniture can be stressful. These days there is an enormous volume of budget and style-friendly furniture available from a variety of vendors, but they come with an additional cost: you often have to do the assembly yourself. Items from IKEA, Amazon, Wayfair, and other low cost merchandisers require time and patience to properly assemble, but there are ways to do it right!
Try Buying It Used
This isn’t exactly a tip for putting together furniture, but it could save you time and money (plus do a little something for the planet). If you are seeking something new, try starting your search on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or Buy Nothing. Many communities have hyper-local “Everything Is Free” or Buy/Sell/Trade pages as well. These are great resources for pre-built budget furniture and a treasure trove of high-quality vintage furniture that needs a new home. Especially with the supply chain issues that have been plaguing vendors around the world, reusing something from your community might get you just what you need, when you need it.
Know Your Build Type
My roommate and I look back and laugh at our incredibly challenging experience trying to put together her IKEA desk last year. I didn’t realize quite how much I needed to work alone while building furniture – collaboration can be the key to success for a lot of people, but it turns out that I do not play well with others in these situations. Before taking on a project with a friend or partner, check in about your expectations and needs. It’s a great way to avoid an argument and potentially hone your own skills as an assembler. On the other hand, know when to ask for help if you are someone who thrives with additional support or you need any extra hand with a heavy piece. It’s never too late to get support!
Read the Instructions - No, Really!
If you’ve purchased anything from IKEA in the past year, you will know that “read” is figurative in this case – they have removed all text from their furniture building guides to avoid translation issues. Reviewing instructions, no matter how they are formatted, is a critical part of a quick and efficient assembly process. Looking at the project from start to finish with all of your pieces in front of you will help you see the full picture, and keep you from making mistakes that could cost you time and energy.
Keep Track of Your Components
Not all vendors are created equal in their labeling and packaging of assembly pieces. Take careful stock of what you have when you unpack your disassembled furniture. Keep hardware in its original packaging until you need to use it and save de-stickering for the end of your build to ensure that you have the right pieces at the right time. Dispose of anything that you know is trash to get it out of the way and keep your tools and instructions in a clear space near you. There is nothing more frustrating than losing your screwdriver right when you need it!
Take a deep breath, enjoy the process, and don’t let the cartoon IKEA man get you down. You’ve got this!
