I purchased this bed based on the overwhelming number of positive and helpful reviews printed here...and I'm glad I did! Firstly, the three boxes arrived quickly and intact with no visible problems. When opened, all three boxes revealed pristine parts, packaged well. Kudos to whoever designed the packaging. Secondly, the instructions could not be clearer. Add to that the tips picked up from the reviews here on overstock.com and wow, I was impressed before I turned a single screw to assemble my new bed. Based on the tips I picked up from others' reviews, I want to share ways to make assembly go quickly, especially if working by oneself. Unpacking: Examine all parts and, based on the ordered of instructions lay them out in an easy to find place next to your work area. Snip open the small plastic bags containing the hardware. My kit had at least one additional piece of hardware in every bag. Don't worry about dust and small bits of Styrofoam that have adhered to the wood. Clean those up later (See below). Read: Spend a several minutes with the instructions. They really are very good. Tools/Equipment Used : Electric drill with assorted small drill bits and phillips head bit, rubber mallet, 4mm ball-end hex wrench (provided), and 5mm hex wrench (provided), Petrolatum. With these tools, assembly really is a snap. Headboard: Skip the superglue and simply tap in the dowels as an alignment device. Assemble the headboard upside down to start and flip over. My kit came with a ball-end hex wrench...an invaluable, time-saving tool! If your kit does not come with one, buy one immediately. ET 35 min. Footboard: The holes for the center rail supports looked small, so I drilled them out a little. I applied a little petrolatum to the screw threads and screwed them in with my phillips head bit. ET 5 min. Side Rails: The long narrow boxes can double as supports while attaching the side rails to the headboard/footboard. Just lay them down parallel with the headboard/footboard and lay the side rails on top. When assembled per the instructions, it's now the perfect time to clean/dust all the assembled solid wood parts. ET 20 min. Support rails: Lay them all out on the side rails, using the extra 80mm bolt as a spacer. If you have no extra 80mm bolt, cut a piece of cardboard to 80mm width (3.15 in.) and use as a template to space the 14 rails. Use a little petrolatum or bar soap to lubricate the screw threads and drop them in the holes. Screw them all in with your phillips head bit. ET 30 min. Stand Back: Look at what you've done! It's a beautiful, solid piece of furniture. Elapsed Time: Unpacking, 30 min. Reading, 15 min. Assembly, 90 min. Packing Material Disposal, 20 min. I highly recommend this bed to anyone!