Some Assembly Required

Get Handy With Hand Tools

Yesterday, I realized, while putting a new desk and loveseat, there are (at least) two types of people in this world:

1. Those who treat assembling furniture like an afternoon puzzle challenge

2. Those who would rather wrestle a grizzly bear than handle hand tools

If you walk into an IKEA and feel a rush of giddy anticipation—or pure existential dread—you 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. It’s 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 “junior 1-bedrooms” 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), it’s important every piece of furniture pulls its weight—often literally, with hidden storage, modular design, or clever foldaways.

For a lot of us, downsizing and tiny houses aren’t just trends—they’re 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

We’ve all been there: lured by the siren call of “Free Shipping!” 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. That’s 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, doesn’t mean it’s worthless—and just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it won’t 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 it’s a vibe. The couch that took three hours to assemble? A conversation starter.

We're not just putting furniture together—we’re 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 I’m 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 it’s just a reminder that you're handier than you thought.

AND THEN THERE ARE THE LEFTOVERS

Let’s 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. It’s all part of the ritual.

There’s a weird kind of romance in it: the mess, the manual, the minor panic, and the eventual triumph. Your furniture isn’t just assembled—it’s earned.

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So whether you’re 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: we’re all just trying to make a space that feels like home. Some assembly required.

Keep calm and carry on!
Clint 🌈✌️

P.S. Next up…the other half of the loveseat and a bed frame. Fun.

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FOR YOUR (SUBSTACK) CONSIDERATION

• The Crave of Intimacy (Coach Kevin Martin)

• I Discover Who I'm Really Angry At (Undividing with Karl Dunn)

• First They Came for Transgender People, Now… Bisexuals? (Uncloseted Media)

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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 🌈

• 1865 = Laurence Housman = English playwright, writer, and illustrator 🌈

• 1883 = Mauritz Stiller = Finnish film director 🌈

• 1898 = Berenice Abbott = American photographer 🌈

• 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 actor, comedian, and voice artist

• 1925 = Jimmy Scott = American singer and actor

• 1928 = Vince Guaraldi = American singer-songwriter

• 1935 = Diahann Carroll = American actor and singer

• 1935 = Donald Sutherland = Canadian actor and producer

• 1941 = Fred Halsted = American adult director, actor, and entrepreneur 🌈

• 1944 = Charles Lapointe = Canadian business executive and politician 🌈

• 1945 = Ethyl Eichelberger = American drag performer, playwright, and actor 🌈

• 1950 = Phoebe Snow = American singer-songwriter

• 1951 = Lucie Arnaz = American actor 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 actor

• 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

• National Lottery Day

• National Tattoo Day

• World Emoji Day

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PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Photography is a universal language, transcending the boundaries of race, politics, and nationality.”
Arthur Rothstein