ᐅ How can IKEA Brimnes furniture be easily disassembled for moving?

Hello everyone, I am planning to move soon and own several IKEA Brimnes furniture pieces, mainly dressers and a bed with built-in storage compartments. My question is quite specific: What is the best and easiest way to disassemble the Brimnes furniture during a move to avoid damaging the parts or screws? I am looking for tips on a careful approach, possibly recommendations for suitable tools or tricks that make disassembly easier. Additionally, I am interested in how to label or organize the parts to make reassembly straightforward. Thanks in advance for your helpful advice!

Hello Berkaylo! Your plan sounds very well thought out 🙂. A small tip regarding the Brimnes furniture: I prefer using a cordless drill with adjustable torque for disassembly to avoid overtightening the screws. It’s important to keep all screws and dowels in one secure place – I use small, clear containers or zip-lock bags for this. Then, I label them immediately with a fine permanent marker, such as "dresser bottom left," to stay organized during reassembly. This way, you can easily match the individual parts later on. Oh, and for the wooden pieces themselves, I like to use a blanket or thick cloth to prevent scratches while taking them apart. Good luck with your move!

PECLARISSA schrieb:
A small tip for the Brimnes furniture: I prefer to use a cordless drill with adjustable torque when dismantling, to avoid overtightening the screws.

I have to disagree! Nothing beats the good old manual screwdriver. Anyone who has tried to use a cordless drill at an awkward angle knows that it usually doesn’t help much. Especially with Brimnes furniture, which is often made of particleboard with a foil finish, you can damage it more easily than you might think. In my opinion, patience and a careful touch are key, not the high-tech tool.

Loosen screws using the correct tools. Caution: Do not scrape off the coating. Sort and label parts in the order of disassembly. This will ensure smooth reassembly.

I want to approach this topic with a structured method and share my technique for disassembling IKEA Brimnes furniture:

- Preparation: Have all necessary tools ready – ideally a Phillips screwdriver, a cordless drill with torque control, and a caliper or ruler for measuring the thickness of components.

- Step 1: Take photos of the furniture before disassembly and keep the overall structure in mind.

- Step 2: Loosen the screws of each module one by one, but do not fully unscrew them at first; just loosen them initially.

- Step 3: Gently pull the parts apart while being careful to avoid breaking the dowels.

- Step 4: Completely remove the screws and organize them systematically. It is recommended to use small bags labeled with notes, for example, ‘cabinet lower left’.

- Step 5: Store the large wooden pieces with a soft cloth in between to prevent scratches.

I managed to move two Brimnes dressers and a bed this way without any problems. As a rule, patience and careful work are essential.

This is truly an annoying topic when moving – I know it all too well. With my Brimnes furniture, I was often worried that the surface would crack or the material would break. The tips shared here are extremely helpful. However, I would like to add one thing: never disassemble furniture under time pressure. Stress increases the likelihood of mistakes. So, for example, it’s better to tidy up the day before and empty the furniture. This way, you protect both the furniture and yourself from frustration.