Okay, for the top section that you sit on, when I start to get down, I loosen the seat back strap quite a bit, fold the seat back into 2 and into the seat bottom, fold them togetherand wrap the strap around the two until they're snug. Then when I'm at the base of the tree I take thebottom part of the stand off then the top. Okay, then the bottom part is on the ground. Take the top part of the stand and put it into the bottom part at a 90 degree angle to the bottom....one "hand hold" under the cross members and the other "hand hold" outstide of the cross member. The "wedge" section on the back side of the uppser section will be under the opposite side of the cross member that I mentioned. Just play with it. I know this sounds really technical but it's really quite simple. Just play around with it and you'll eventually get the hang of it! (I'd post pics but I won't be home for another month...otherwise I would.)