There is definitely an odor to the material. Have cracked her window to air out her room, even in 20 degree weather.  Instructions were easy to follow, but the pre-drilled holes in some spots were not accurate.  A few of the connectors cracked because of the cheap material used to make them.  The file drawer could be wider, so she could actually hang files in there and use it properly as a file drawer.  It took my husband and daughter about 3 hours to put the desk and hutch together.