'Ikea Effect': Science Explains Why We Love A Good DIY Project

DIY projects are not a recent phenomenon, with examples like the Mechanick Exercises by Joseph Moxon published in the 17^th century. Moxon created one of the earliest examples of DIY (as we know it today), describing how to accomplish a variety of tasks on your own such as wood joinery, blacksmithing, and map making, to name a few. 

It wasn't until the 1950s when DIY really started taking off as a result of fewer work hours, and an increase in the number of people owning homes. And around the same time, a Swedish company, IKEA, started gaining traction. In order to save cost and prevent damage during transit, IKEA started flat-packing furniture in pieces and then shipping it to customers willing to put it together. While still popular today, there are those who hate building IKEA furniture. Fortunately, there is a straightforward solution with companies like TaskRabbit.

In 2012, one study found that participants assigned higher monetary value to furniture they put together above others that were identical, coining the term the "IKEA Effect." The study, "The IKEA effect: When labor leads to love," published by ScienceDirect.com, suggests the building process may produce positive thoughts and attachments to the project, and become a means to demonstrate one's competence. Although, there are plenty of other reasons people choose the DIY route.

According to Angi.com, around 81% of homeowners chose to perform home improvement work themselves in the early 2020s, and 62% of them cited cost savings as the reason. Material prices are on the rise, with a whole-house remodel running an average of $52,275, per AmeriSave.com. While there are certainly some DIY projects you should never do yourself, as they can pose dangers, completing some of the more straightforward tasks can save a significant amount of money. Especially considering that when hiring a contractor, you could be looking at up to 60% of the total cost going toward labor alone.

When homeowners take on a basic renovation themselves, the money that would be used to pay for labor can go towards better materials. According to thefarnsworthgroup.com, between 82 and 88% of DIY consumers across generations cite quality as the main driving force behind which brands they purchase. Essentially, doing the work yourself (when possible), allows you to put more money back into your home. As one poster on Reddit.com wrote, "When I DIY, I am able to pick and choose my parts, the quality of what I'm using, and can take as much time as I feel is necessary."

There are a few reasons why working on and completing a home project can be beneficial for your well-being. For one thing, DIY activities can help lower stress levels. Why? Because even straightforward projects demand concentration. For those with weighty subjects on their mind like financial worry or workplace apprehension, a project can force your brain to focus on what's right in front of you, providing a reprieve.

You might even break a sweat, which is also a benefit of DIY work. Using your hands, employing balance and coordination, and operating tools all require some form of physical effort. Not only do you get a feeling of satisfaction from completing the work yourself, but the physical activity can release endorphins, a hormone that improves your overall mood. And fortunately, you don't need to undertake large scale projects to reap the rewards either, as there are plenty of DIY home improvement projects to try before bringing in the professionals.