To think I have let down every woman everywhere?

[ImOnMyTumbleTap]

I have disappointed myself in being completely unable to put a fucking, bullshit, crappy bookcase together. It just will not work!

My DP offered to help me with it but I told him I was perfectly capable of putting together a book case, thank you very much. Now I have to go crawling back and say I can't. Gah!

What have your abilities got to do with other women? I do the DIY and flatpacks in my home, DP is useless at them.
Ability with a screwdriver is not gendered!

...did you read the instructions?

YANBU, please hand in your Independent Woman badge at the desk. Then go and sit in the bookshelf-less corner and think about what you've done.

There are plenty of men who would have fucked that RIGHT up so I wouldn't worry too much.

You've got a deconstructed book case. Everyone has a constructed one; you're not following convention.

I feel your pain but you'll find no judgement here I once put a futon together upside down without noticing as it was flat and when I went to turn it into a sofa it faced the floor upside down

I was even following the instructions like a "good woman" would but to no avail.

bite, this was meant to be a lighthearted post about the stereotype that women can't do DIY and I was living up to it.

tibba, as much as I am normally all for breaking the norm, a deconstructed bookcase doesn't hold my books as well as a constructed one.

Post pics of what you've done already here! Flat pack book cases are my specialty

Some people are more suited the this type
of task than others, nowt to do with gender. Your talent is delegation! You are able to look at other peoples abilities and celebrate them. Tell your DP to crack on.

I do all the flatpack as I enjoy it! You haven't let anyone down, blame the instructions

Oh don't worry I'd be crap at this too! I'd get a bloke to do it as I cba to do stuff like this. And some men enjoy it to prove how ' manly ' they are.

Don't sweat the small stuff OP! 😀

This is how far I got. (I have stacked it back up nearly to be fair to me.)

I was trying to put the screws in but they just did that to the wood and then came straight back out.

Put pics up of what you've got so far, I love flat pack! I'm sure we can help you sort it then you don't need to tell DH

I love making flatpack furniture. What has gone wrong, maybe we can guide you through it. I think I could put an Ikea Billy together with my eyes closed, I've done it so often.

Second hand stores with ready made wooden bookcases are you friend here.

Then you paint them something delicious and BAM! You are independent woman without books all over the floor

*your

Haha! There will be a man in a white van on gumtree you can phone to help you with that

Save face by paying your next door neighbours teenager to do it for you! DH will never know!

Can you replace a plug? That comes with an Independent Woman badge too.

Which piece is that hole in?

Is it a larger set or a smaller set? With smaller sets you do the outer square first, add the back (and that little plank for the bottom at the front if it has one), then put the pegs for the shelves where you want them, then put the shelves on. Larger cases will generally have a shelf roughly in the middle that's fixed into the frame and you'd fit it to one of the sides alone with the bottom and top while constructing your outer frame.

Does ti come with different types of screws? That looks like you've used the wrong one. Can you do a pic of the screw pack laid out?

The problem is, it's a bookcase for my classroom, there are no neighbours with teenagers I can call on. Tempted to give my DF a ring but he will laugh at me too.

The hole I showed you was on a small piece for the bottom of the frame.

I can't do stuff like that because of my lack of hand strength.

I'm always the one giving the directions to whoever is doing it, though.

I make a much better supervisor, than manual worker.

Ignore that piece for now then (presuming were talking about the very slim piece we can see in the first picture?) It's mostly cosmetic. Do the outer rectangle first.

I am a woman and I can assure you I don't feel let down :) I have never been any good with any DIY and have no interest in it. I don't think it's a gender related thing because I know some women, who are pretty amazing at it and can show any man what they are made of. I also know plenty of men, who are totally useless and hopeless at it. So, I would just leave the bookcase to DP and let him deal with it, if he is better with all that sort of stuff. I am sure there are plenty of other things you are good at.