Our trip to IKEA last weekend deserves a separate post, but ….next time.
The only thing we needed to do there is to return an item – our plan was to return that item and leave, but IKEA is about an hour away, so we decided since we were already there, why not browse the store? We both knew we did not need anything and yet we just had to dive in.
Two hours later and $150.00 poorer we were finally done and ready to come home. I say it’s very reasonable to blow that much money in two hours, especially when you came there not to shop, but quite the opposite, to return an item and get your money back.
Anyway, like I said before, this post is not about our trip, but rather it’s about how grateful I am to have my engineering degree and to be able to use it while putting a lamp together that was purchased in IKEA!
I don’t want to sound like a spoiled American, but I was sure when you buy a lamp it’s pretty much assembled for you already with the exception of a light bulb – sure, I can do that! Boy, was I wrong. Apparently when you buy a lamp from IKEA everything in that lamp needs assembly – but not to fear – I am a civil engineer – it should be easy as A,B,C. Never mind that I got my degree 25 years ago and since then have never used it once, but in the bright side it gave me hours and hours of endless entertainment . My Saturday evening was complete!
Here is the progress:
I will skip first few steps and will jump right into
Step #3: The lamp is ready to swallow me!
Step #4: One hour later the lamp is giving me the upside down finger!
Step #5, my final step – It looks beautiful , who cares that it’s crooked.
…. and then I had to include another member of my family, who has no engineering degree, in fact he has no degree yet, and he came up with this:
Pearl's twirl 
Ha ha!
Are you laughing? It was the most frustrating hour of my weekend, after that I went to clean my closets – and I hate cleaning my closets 🙂
I wouldn’t even buy something like that as beautiful as it is unless it was already assembled! I never ever read directions and that looks like directions would be a must…. I gather there’s no guessing there right!
Nope there is no guessing, but for some reason the 13 year old was able to do it before me 🙂
There is an ancient Chinese proverb: Simple is difficult. I think the problem is that you possess a Civil Engineering degree and the lamp designer at IKEA did not.
Hi Phil, I believe you are right, my 13 year old don’t have a degree yet and was able to put a lamp together without any problems.
I helped a friend put together some bookshelves from IKEA. I thought we’d never be finished, but in the end, we used all the pieces and only put one in upside down. She decided not to take it apart and start over because it looked right even though we knew we’d goofed. 🙂
Haha. My son once reassemble his little car and then he put it back together , he had some parts left over, but yet it worked just fine.
Ariana, I refuse to shop in Ikea for only one reason: I am completely inept when it comes to trying to follow directions. I’m terrible at it!
Shopping @Ikea is just like shopping @ Costco, no matter what I end up spending there $200.00
Love it! Ah, so many Ikea memories. But you are right. What is supposed to be a simple assembly never is. There is always some glitch. Probably why it’s cheap. And you’re right, there is NO WAY to go to Ikea without spending hours and money there. Damn Ikea!
good job !
Oh my gosh, I’m chuckling here! Can I be frank and say I hate Ikea? For the same reason you mention, everything has to be assembled! And without an engineering degree or someone who will help without intimidation, bribery, or threats of bodily harm, how do you think I’ll fare? Not as good as you, I’ll say! In any case, the lamp looks beautiful! Team work! I love it! 🙂
Reblogged this on Get a real life ! and commented:
I love assembling these products..