Written by Reneke Jannik··Modified:
Right to left
Perhaps IKEA's most complex piece of furniture has been given a new look: the PAX wardrobe. From now on, it has far fewer parts and, according to the promise, can be set up 14 minutes faster than the old model. “That takes the stress out of the relationship.”
The PAX wardrobe is as popular as it is infamous in many households. Putting it together is no easy feat. A British survey put the wardrobe at the top of the list of “most stressful IKEA furniture”.
The person who knows all about this is Jeroen van Ginkel, the self-proclaimed “King of IKEA”. He says he has already saved many family relationships and acquaintances. He jokes that he is “afraid” that this will now end. Van Ginkel shared the “bad” news on LinkedIn and received many responses.
The new model, which recently became available, has 75 percent fewer parts than the old one. The old model had 105 screws, hinges and other parts. The new cabinet now has just 23 parts. IKEA promises the cabinet will be there in 20 minutes. “That’s 14 minutes faster than the old model,” says a company spokesperson.
Relationship stress
Unlike its predecessor, the new PAX cabinet can be placed vertically, making it easier to fit the cabinet into a smaller space. And you can set it up yourself. “This saves a lot of stress in the relationship,” says van Ginkel. “Many people are overwhelmed by all the parts and ten-page instructions. If you want to assemble such a cabinet with two people, the frustrations quickly mount. In such situations, my friends always know how to reach me and I usually come and say, ‘I’ll have some peace and quiet at home soon.’”
Just as not everyone is a fan of LEGO, not everyone is a fan of Swedish furniture. But for Van Ginkel, it’s a relief, he says. “I got a phone call once from a friend who was trying to make a bed. He said, ‘I can’t really do this.’ I can still see him standing there with the bed in his hand and it would collapse when I put it down. I also saw right away that there were still too many parts on the floor.”
He's not afraid to get fewer calls from his friends now. “My friends call me when an old cabinet needs to be moved.”
