
Yesterday, I realized, while putting a new desk and loveseat, there are (at least) two types of people in this world:
Those who treat assembling furniture like an afternoon puzzle challenge
Those who would rather wrestle a grizzly bear than handle hand tools
If you walk into an IKEA and feel a rush of giddy anticipationāor pure existential dreadāyou know exactly which side you're on.
Me? I fucking hate putting stuff together.
THE FLAT-PACK DIVIDE
Thanks to the gods of home goods (IKEA, Wayfair, Amazon, and the like), we live in the golden age of flat-pack furniture. Itās affordable, ships to your door in a box the size of a snowboard, and comes with just enough screws. Usually.
Some find joy in the process. The methodical aligning of parts. The clean pop of a dowel fitting just right. The quiet satisfaction of creating a piece of furniture with their own hands (and a manual in 37 languages).
For these folks, assembling a bookshelf can be a form of meditation. For the rest of us, it makes us need to meditate. Or call someone to do the dirty work for us.
SMALL SPACES, BIG CREATIVITY
Flat-pack furniture thrives in small spaces. Urban living, studio apartments, and ājunior 1-bedroomsā all beg for pieces that can be carried up flights of stairs and assembled without power tools or spiritual intervention.
When your living spaces do double and triple duty (as bedroom, gym, home office, kitchen, library, and/or media room), itās important every piece of furniture pulls its weightāoften literally, with hidden storage, modular design, or clever foldaways.
For a lot of us, downsizing and tiny houses arenāt just trendsātheyāre a lifestyle and necessity. People (like myself) are swapping square footage for flexibility, and these flat-packed furniture pieces (with free shipping) become a way of life.
THE FREE SHIPPING GAMBLE
Weāve all been there: lured by the siren call of āFree Shipping!ā on a piece that looks stunning in the product photos. It arrives, you unpack it, and it's... fine. Or surprisingly great. Or weirdly soft where it shouldn't be soft. Thatās the game.
In the sea of MDF and faux-leather finishes, there is quality to be found. Reviews are your best friend. So is knowing that just because something is cheap, doesnāt mean itās worthlessāand just because itās expensive doesnāt mean it wonāt wobble.
MAKING IT WORK
People who make their homes from flat-pack kits and late-night scrolls are some of the most resourceful around. That one weird extra screw? Saved in the junk drawer, just in case. That table that came chipped? Covered with a plant and now itās a vibe. The couch that took three hours to assemble? A conversation starter.
We're not just putting furniture togetherāweāre putting a life together, one Allen key or Phillips head turn at a time.
THE UPSIDES OF DOWNSIZING
Less space forces choices. And that can be freeing.
Personally, my living space is fast becoming more intentional. More creative too.
And Iām becoming more ruthless in the process with what stays and what goes.
When space is limited, the things you keep matter more. They become an integral part of your daily routine. And the pieces you spent hours assembling? They mean something, even if itās just a reminder that you're handier than you thought.
AND THEN THERE ARE THE LEFTOVERS
Letās talk about the extras. The handful of screws you swear weren't mentioned in the instructions. The cardboard mountain post-unboxing. The bubble wrap that now lives in the recycle bin. Itās all part of the ritual.
Thereās a weird kind of romance in it: the mess, the manual, the minor panic, and the eventual triumph. Your furniture isnāt just assembledāitās earned.
So whether youāre the kind who proudly builds an entire entertainment center before noon, or the one who immediately opens a new browser tab to hire help, remember: weāre all just trying to make a space that feels like home. Some assembly required.
Keep calm and carry on!
Clint šāļø
P.S. Next upā¦the other half of the loveseat and a bed frame. Fun.
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FOR YOUR (SUBSTACK) CONSIDERATION
ON THIS DAY = JULY 17
BIRTHDAYS
1763 = John Jacob Astor = German-American businessman and philanthropist
1797 = Paul Delaroche = French painter and academic
1859 = Ernest Rhys = Welsh-English writer š
1865 = Laurence Housman = English playwright, writer, and illustrator š
1883 = Mauritz Stiller = Finnish film director š
1898 = Berenice Abbott = American photographer š
1899 = James Cagney = American actor and dancer
1912 = Art Linkletter = Canadian-American radio and television host
1913 = Bertrand Goldberg = American architect
1915 = Arthur Rothstein = American photographer and educator
1917 = Phyllis Diller = American actress, comedian, and voice artist
1925 = Jimmy Scott = American singer and actor
1928 = Vince Guaraldi = American singer-songwriter
1935 = Diahann Carroll = American actress and singer
1935 = Donald Sutherland = Canadian actor and producer
1941 = Fred Halsted = American adult director, actor, and entrepreneur š
1944 = Charles Lapointe = Canadian business executive and politician š
1945 = Ethyl Eichelberger = American drag performer, playwright, and actor š
1950 = Phoebe Snow = American singer-songwriter
1951 = Lucie Arnaz = American actress and singer
1952 = David Hasselhoff = American actor, singer, and producer
1954 = J. Michael Straczynski = American author, screenwriter, and producer
1958 = Wong Kar-wai = Chinese director, producer, and screenwriter
1960 = Nancy Giles = American journalist and actress
1965 = Alex Winter = English-American actor, film director and screenwriter
1969 = Jason Clarke = Australian actor
1976 = Luke Bryan = American singer-songwriter
1979 = Mike Vogel = American actor and model
1992 = Billie Lourd = American actor
EVENTS
1850 = Vega became the first star (other than the Sun) to be photographed.
1955 = Disneyland is dedicated and opened by Walt Disney in Anaheim, CA.
1981 = Endless Love is released in theaters.
1984 = The national drinking age in the US was changed from 18 to 21.
1992 = The Manchester Metrolink, the first modern street-running light-rail system in the UK, was officially opened.
HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES
PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY
āPhotography is a universal language, transcending the boundaries of race, politics, and nationality.ā
Arthur Rothstein
Ohhhh Clint the wonderful world of flat pack furniture, tis a good job the Ivory Tower doesn't need anything new š Now in UK there was a flat pack empire called MFI (now closed) and luckily the carcass were of good wood, fronts, doors in good quality MDF and even the wood chip sides were solid rather than the IKEA wheat biscuit quality ones. I don't think many flat pack items will be starring on Antiques Roadshow programmes on the future š Flat pack was the start of the throw away trend and IKEA did bring affordable and stylish contemporary furniture to the masses. Post WW11 when materials were in short supply the government introduced a 'Utility' range of furniture for folks rebuilding and furnishing with this government approved and affordable furniture. All the 'utility' furniture was stamped/branded on the back with the utility sign. Fun fact the Utility symbol resembled the Pacman video character of today š Cheers DougT š«š“ š¬š§
To borrow a line from the past ābeen there, done thatā. Have drawers full of those hex keys, extra screws, just in case. It took me a long time to figure out the clever turn and lock āthingysā that IKEA loves. Sounds like youāre doing great. When youāve mastered several IKEA items maybe you can earn extra dough peddling your expertise.