Reviewers Say This IKEA Piece Is “Impossible” to Assemble — But These 3 Tips Help

IKEA’s HYLLIS shelving unit has gone viral on TikTok almost too many times to count. It’s chic and simple with a basic galvanized steel framework, and it’s just $23 for the approximately 2-foot-tall shelf. Many people with more modern, minimalist aesthetics are using it as a sideboard, a stylish console, or a bookshelf.

It’s a seemingly effortless addition — only it’s not actually so effortless, according to loads of reviewers. As recently as September 8, 2025, reviewer Lisa wrote this on the IKEA site: “I actually don’t mind putting IKEA stuff together,” she says. “It’s a pain but it always comes together fine. Until now. It is 100% impossible to put this together … pretty sure I pulled a muscle in my shoulder tryin[g] to push the pieces enough to get the holes to line up.” 

Hundreds of other people in the website reviews — and in this HYLLIS SOS reddit post — have noted the same, saying the pre-drilled holes for the screws don’t line up on the poles and shelves, and the pieces are metal and difficult to bend to get everything to fit.

Others have clearly had success, though, as evidenced by the bevvy of cool new TikToks and Reels featuring the product. I reached out to a few DIYers who have found success with their HYLLIS assembly to pick their brains about what worked for them. As long as you have the right tips and tools at the ready, you can also successfully build and style an IKEA HYLLIS (and hopefully do so without breaking a sweat or pulling a muscle!).

One of the main gripes from hopeful HYLLIS constructors is that aligning and inserting the screws into their pre-drilled holes is an “impossible” task to do by hand. That’s why you might want to consider getting out more tools than come in the IKEA box.

You can use a drill à la TikToker Angelo Ortega above, or if you don’t want to use power tools, a mallet will help force the pieces together (but it will be loud, so take caution if you live in close quarters with neighbors). 

Joseph Morrison (@joey_driftwood) highly recommends the drill route and says it “takes like 10 minutes per shelf.” 

A Reddit user shared a similar tip on a thread earlier this year, writing that “with a drill, it took 13 minutes to assemble a two-shelf one (highly recommend the drill).” Another user commented that “this advice saved me.”

A drill will also come in handy if your shelving unit arrives slightly bent out of shape or if your screws aren’t very high-quality because there won’t be as much trial-and-error trying to get the screws to fit. 

“Don’t tighten the screws right away — leave them a bit loose so you can adjust, then tighten at the end,” Anne from @houseoffritz on Instagram told AT.

Leaving the screws inserted but loose at first will give you wiggle room (literally) to get all the screws into place before the piece becomes solid. This can also help with the screw-hole alignment issue.

“If you have a few units next to each other, connect them with cable ties for extra stability,” Anne also recommends. “I did this because my cat Fritz likes to jump on them, and with kids playing around, it feels much safer.”

Once the shelf is assembled, the rest is about styling. Karmen Tang (@tangkarmen) says the simplicity of the HYLLIS makes it easy to swap pieces in and out.

“When it came to decorating, we focused on pieces that were sentimental and personal — things we actually use often, like hand creams and perfumes, alongside books that have shaped our lives and little collections from our travels” she says. “My tip would be not to overthink the placement too much; we’re constantly moving things around and re-shuffling, which keeps it feeling fresh.”

With these tips in your back pocket, go forward and assemble the HYLLIS shelf without running into any roadblocks. Soon enough, you’ll have a cool new place to display all your favorite collections!