ᐅ How can I assemble IKEA BRIMNES furniture in a limited space?

Good morning everyone, I am facing the challenge of assembling some IKEA Brimnes furniture in a very cramped apartment. My available space is minimal, both in terms of floor area and room to move around during assembly. The furniture pieces are sometimes quite large and bulky, and I want to avoid blocking too much space or assembling the furniture incorrectly because I don’t have enough room. Does anyone have tips or proven strategies for assembling BRIMNES when the space is so limited that you can hardly move around the parts? Maybe there are tricks regarding the order in which to assemble the pieces or ways to prepare certain modules beforehand before placing them in their final position? I look forward to your experiences and suggestions!

I would recommend first spreading out and sorting all the parts so you don’t have to search in the middle of the build. After that, assemble as much as possible lying down, as this saves space.

Zarkin, your question is common among those working with compact spaces. Generally, I recommend dividing the process into two phases: preparation and assembly. During preparation, you should check which parts can be pre-assembled, such as drawers or back panels, which can be assembled lying down. For BRIMNES, it is important to store the large panels as flat as possible and assemble them step by step in the correct order. It also helps to measure the room carefully in advance and transfer the furniture plan to the available space to plan the optimal working area. Question: What are the exact dimensions of the room, and where do you ultimately want to position the furniture? This greatly influences how you proceed.

Thanks for the quick feedback. The room is about 2.5 meters (8 feet) wide and just under 3 meters (10 feet) long. I plan to place the furniture along the wall opposite the door; there will be about 50 cm (20 inches) of space between the wall and the furniture for assembly, but not more. The floor is laminate, so I can easily lay out the parts on the floor. I was thinking of pre-assembling as many parts as possible and then putting them together, possibly with the help of an assistant. Is there a recommended assembly order for BRIMNES that has proven to work well?

For BRIMNES, I would always start by pre-assembling the side panels and back panels. This provides structural stability and helps with the assembly order later on.

I find it interesting whether a second person is really helpful in such a tight space. With some IKEA cabinets, folding down and adjusting individual parts can become quite cramped. I also wonder if it’s possible to temporarily secure the components using connecting plates and clamps to make assembly more manageable. Additionally, it’s important to study the instructions carefully, as this helps avoid unnecessary disassembly. I would be curious to know if you have specific concerns about where exactly you feel the space is lacking: Is it mainly when turning larger parts or when clamping modules together?