By Sabah Karimi, Yahoo Contributor Network
Shopping at IKEA is a great way to snag a few deals on furniture and home décor, and can really help out when you're on a tight budget. Still, it's important to remember that the reason why everything's priced so low is because you'll be putting it together yourself. IKEA furniture comes in flat-pack boxes to go from the store to your home with ease, but unfortunately, there's no magic popup version of the two-hundred+ piece office desk available.You'll be hauling the furniture out of the store, into your car and truck, and then up two or three flights of stairs to your apartment. After that, it's time to put on your toolkit and get to work. Unless you're particularly adept at assembling IKEA furniture, you'll probably spend at least half a day per item. Ready to brave the challenge? Here are some tips on assembling IKEA furniture so you're not left with an impossible lego project and give up in frustration:
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #1: Enlist the power of friends
Two heads are better than one when it comes to deciphering the handy guide accompanying your IKEA furniture. Make it a group project so you're not spending hours screwing in the nuts and bolts---on the wrong side.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #2: Skip the proprietary IKEA tools
Those little bags of allen wrenches and screwdrivers are great for one-time projects, but you're much better off using the 'real deal' to speed through the project. Ditch the 'toy tools' (except for the screws and bolts), and pick up your Black & Decker power drill for better results.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #3: Organize everything and count it twice.
Pull apart the entire kit and make sure you have everything you need for your piece of furniture. If you organize the items by parts, you'll find it much easier to grab each piece as you build. Put the directions in one area, and all the parts in another so you spread out your workspace.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #4: Don't make more than one piece of furniture at a time.
You'll confuse yourself and your building team, and can easily lose track of screws, bolts, and pieces as a result. This will only make it that much harder to actually finish your project-patience and pacing yourself through one project at a time really is a virtue in this situation.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #5: Avoid starting a project during a highly stressful time.
If you've just gotten some bad news, had a hard day at work, or just have a lot on your mind, assembling IKEA furniture is not going to be a stress reliever. Pick something else, anything, that doesn't require your full concentration and patience.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #6: Don't expect to be successful the first time.
When you finally get the back on that chair just right, don't be surprised when you realize the entire thing is on backwards. Plan for mistakes, take a deep breath, and start over. A glass of wine can really help take the edge off.
If you're one of the lucky few who has the skills to put together IKEA furniture in one smooth step, good for you! Not many people can say the same, but there is hope-someone in your town may be available for IKEA assembly services. Take a look at your local classifieds or Craigslist for local help that can help you get that project done in no time.
Shopping at IKEA is a great way to snag a few deals on furniture and home décor, and can really help out when you're on a tight budget. Still, it's important to remember that the reason why everything's priced so low is because you'll be putting it together yourself. IKEA furniture comes in flat-pack boxes to go from the store to your home with ease, but unfortunately, there's no magic popup version of the two-hundred+ piece office desk available.You'll be hauling the furniture out of the store, into your car and truck, and then up two or three flights of stairs to your apartment. After that, it's time to put on your toolkit and get to work. Unless you're particularly adept at assembling IKEA furniture, you'll probably spend at least half a day per item. Ready to brave the challenge? Here are some tips on assembling IKEA furniture so you're not left with an impossible lego project and give up in frustration:
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #1: Enlist the power of friends
Two heads are better than one when it comes to deciphering the handy guide accompanying your IKEA furniture. Make it a group project so you're not spending hours screwing in the nuts and bolts---on the wrong side.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #2: Skip the proprietary IKEA tools
Those little bags of allen wrenches and screwdrivers are great for one-time projects, but you're much better off using the 'real deal' to speed through the project. Ditch the 'toy tools' (except for the screws and bolts), and pick up your Black & Decker power drill for better results.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #3: Organize everything and count it twice.
Pull apart the entire kit and make sure you have everything you need for your piece of furniture. If you organize the items by parts, you'll find it much easier to grab each piece as you build. Put the directions in one area, and all the parts in another so you spread out your workspace.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #4: Don't make more than one piece of furniture at a time.
You'll confuse yourself and your building team, and can easily lose track of screws, bolts, and pieces as a result. This will only make it that much harder to actually finish your project-patience and pacing yourself through one project at a time really is a virtue in this situation.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #5: Avoid starting a project during a highly stressful time.
If you've just gotten some bad news, had a hard day at work, or just have a lot on your mind, assembling IKEA furniture is not going to be a stress reliever. Pick something else, anything, that doesn't require your full concentration and patience.
Assembling IKEA Furniture Tip #6: Don't expect to be successful the first time.
When you finally get the back on that chair just right, don't be surprised when you realize the entire thing is on backwards. Plan for mistakes, take a deep breath, and start over. A glass of wine can really help take the edge off.
If you're one of the lucky few who has the skills to put together IKEA furniture in one smooth step, good for you! Not many people can say the same, but there is hope-someone in your town may be available for IKEA assembly services. Take a look at your local classifieds or Craigslist for local help that can help you get that project done in no time.
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