Episode 246 – Some Assembly Required

Kat and Alex take on IKEA.

Here’s story we didn’t get to talk about when we ran out of time.

How Building Ikea Furniture Nearly Destroyed My Marriage
from Popsugar.com

KAT: This is from Popsugar.com, written by brilliant writer Steve Tate.

“Do you ever wonder how strong your relationship with your significant other is, or how much exactly it can take? There are many things that can apply extra tension — planning a family vacation, spending time with in-laws, talking about money. I’ve been married for 14 happy years, and while my wife and I have had our fill of marital woes, nothing, and I mean nothing, put our relationship to the test quite as much as building Ikea furniture together did.

ALEX: Did you know that Ikea is responsible for 28 percent of all divorces that occurred in the US in 2017? You probably didn’t, because I’m totally kidding and made that up but, honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if it were true.
KAT: I’ll be the first to admit that it’s easy to fall victim to the charm of Ikea. We’ve all been there — walking down the aisles as we look at the beautifully assembled furniture. It’s well-designed, sturdy, and most importantly, affordable.

ALEX: But you want to know why it’s so affordable? It’s because they factor in the attorney costs that’ll pile up as you and your partner argue back and forth about which part goes where. In fact, they really should have a divorce attorney onsite at every Ikea location, right next to the daycare.

KAT: At the very least, each box should contain a warning label that reads: “This box contains materials that are extremely harmful for your marriage. Proceed with caution.” However, I’m also not totally convinced that this warning label doesn’t already exist. The problem is I can’t read it . . . because my native tongue doesn’t happen to be Swedish.

ALEX: Have you ever tried to place dresser drawers upside down? Well, I have, and it doesn’t work. There was nothing left in my soul. After three-and-a-half hours of labor and two blisters for each thumb, I went full Chevy Chase from Christmas Vacation on my poor wife. I lost it.

KAT: In closing, the next time your spouse approaches you with the idea of building some Ikea furniture, remember this warning and RUN. If they really want to do some DIY project together, may I suggest much safer options likes a photography class or origami? Thankfully, my wife and I were able to move past the Ikea hiccup in our marriage, but it definitely made a few of our strong foundation’s screws loose, even if just for an afternoon.”