Sunday, February 25, 2007

Man versus the Flat Pack

We went to Ikea yesterday morning to buy a few bits and pieces, in particular a shoe rack as the OH thinks my shoes are getting out of control.*

The trip was a success - we got in and out quickly with a trolley full of useful things, including the shoe rack and a match hat rack. I suggested that we may as well construct the shoe rack now rather than wait until we move. We have a system for putting together furniture - I look at the instructions, he does the physical labour part. I also have a system of 'swear rationing' where I allow him a set number of expletives according to the complexity of the item.


So we set about constructing the shoe rack. I opened the box and emptied the contents on the floor.

'Oh, this will be so easy' he said optimistically 'I just put those bits in there and that bit on top and its done.
'No, it involves screws' say I stopping him from getting ahead of himself.


There then followed five minutes of searching for the screws - cue much shaking of box and the first call of 'cheap mass produced rubbish' from him, before we found them attached to a bit of plastic wrapping we had almost discarded. Then we were off.


50 minutes, 2 thrown poles, 1 lost & refound screw, 4 different screwdrivers and a red face later, it was done. I'm rather pleased with it - my shoes are tamed and the hallway is tidy.


However, I am now dreading having to put together a wardrobe in a few weeks time.

*He also believes I have too many pairs of shoes, which I would strongly contend as I read the results of survey that the average woman in the UK has 16 pairs. I have a couple of pairs less than this average - although I am taking it literally to mean shoes, and am not including any other footwear (in particular boots) in this total, which would bump up my total significantly.

2 comments:

Roses said...

I'm hoping to get some new furniture at Easter and in all likelihood it'll be flat pack. I'm thinking about getting a man in, because I just can't face the ordeal which is following instructions. :-)

SandDancer said...

It seesm very hard to get un-flat packed these days.

I have seen there are companies who will construct it for you and might go that route with the wardrobe.

Hopefully, 'the man' will be better at it then my man!