The Hawthorne Effect

      Have you ever noticed, that when you rearrange your furniture, you like your New room better?

     And have you ever noticed that your room feels bigger, prettier, more invigorating - even if you rearrange it BACK to a prior layout, one which inspired you to rearrange it previously? I am not talking about "makeovers" where loads of money is spent and architects are brought in and new things are purchased. I am simply describing that high that comes with moving your sofa to the other wall. Are you with me?

      AND Have you ever noticed, that you are perfectly fine, living your life in a slightly  sloppy "lived in" house, but that when company is coming over, that you are charged into action,  tidying up the place to it's "house on the market" state. Hmmm?

Before they called and said "we are coming over"...

ready for company...

     Well, I am happy to tell you that you are not alone and that in fact, there is an actual word for this "state". It is called "The Hawthorne Effect". 
     Once upon a time, when we were still just dating, my Darden business school boyfriend, soon to be  husband, came home and said "You know, there is an actual reason why you like to re-decorate and rearrange the furniture. It is called the Hawthorne Effect, we studied it today". At first I rebuffed, concerned that he might be telling me that I suffered from some disorder, one that MADE me unable to tolerate NOT rearranging the furniture. My nickname, was in fact "sandpiper" because he said that my fluttering about reminded him of the sandpipers we saw on the beach. Cute-right? Not no more,  my kids have coined the term "Mom Bomb" which is synonymous  with a state in which there is usually  banshee yelling and lots of banging and throwing of laundry down the stairs. Not quite as cute as a Sandpiper.

with the chairs here....

or there....?

 In a nutshell, basically the Hawthorne Effect was named for the way that subjects in a study seemed to perform better and  reported higher levels of energy and self satisfaction after they changed their environments. And it is not so much how the space ACTUALLY looks, but rather that the RESULT is a change. Change is good. And in addition to our response to change, the  original coiners of this term found a side order of information: that if the subjects  were aware that they were being studied, that their energy was higher and performance was more productive. 

side thought  This makes me wonder what the name would be for the behavior of reality TV housewives, who seem to unravel and become their worst selves, when they are begin watched? 

 Three versions of the same room....

 just the color has been changed, but then, we took the changing table- turned kitchen island out..

and the kitchen felt HUGE!

but I bet, since you, my blog reader,

 have no frame of reference, 

that your preferred version of his room

 would have more to do with what color you like better, 

not the order in which they occurred. 

    I ALWAYS feel better after I rearrange my furniture. It is like getting a new room. And then add to this my absolute joy at changing colors and patterns and scoping out deals to make these changes happen, it is like the Hawthorne Effect on steroids. I bet if I had certain hormones measured before and after after I rearrange a room, or paint a wall a new color, they would be higher than when I started. 


     This being said, sometimes I envy people like my Husbands late grandmother, Gramma De, who had the decor of her house identical, down to the placement of each photograph, for 40 years. I think how nice it must be to be so at peace and so content with things staying the same. I am afraid that  I am addicted to change. At least when it comes to my old country homes' interior. The yard...well, that is a horse of a very different color...

Gramma De and Phoebe with a sticker on her forehead

...so there you have it...if you get high changing the placement of a photo, or pushing the table to the side...you are not alone...rearrange to your hearts content.
Or don't.
As my Mom used to say, "Whatever floats your boat."