diff --git a/src/systems/dashboard/dashboardManager.js b/src/systems/dashboard/dashboardManager.js
index f1e0390..e3c8842 100644
--- a/src/systems/dashboard/dashboardManager.js
+++ b/src/systems/dashboard/dashboardManager.js
@@ -804,9 +804,9 @@ export class DashboardManager {
 
         // Specific widget type ordering within user category
         const userWidgetOrder = {
-            'userInfo': 1,      // Name/level at top
-            'userStats': 2,     // Health/energy bars
-            'userMood': 3,      // Mood
+            'userInfo': 1,      // Name/level at top-left
+            'userMood': 2,      // Mood at top-right (before stats so it sits beside userInfo)
+            'userStats': 3,     // Health/energy bars (after mood, goes below userInfo+mood)
             'userAttributes': 4 // STR/DEX/etc
         };
 
@@ -1231,8 +1231,17 @@ export class DashboardManager {
             const definition = this.registry.get(widget.type);
             if (definition && definition.defaultSize) {
                 const oldSize = `${widget.w}x${widget.h}`;
-                widget.w = definition.defaultSize.w;
-                widget.h = definition.defaultSize.h;
+
+                // Support defaultSize as function (column-aware sizing)
+                let defaultSize;
+                if (typeof definition.defaultSize === 'function') {
+                    defaultSize = definition.defaultSize(this.gridEngine.columns);
+                } else {
+                    defaultSize = definition.defaultSize;
+                }
+
+                widget.w = defaultSize.w;
+                widget.h = defaultSize.h;
                 const newSize = `${widget.w}x${widget.h}`;
                 if (oldSize !== newSize) {
                     console.log(`[DashboardManager] Reset ${widget.type} from ${oldSize} to ${newSize}`);
diff --git a/src/systems/dashboard/widgetRegistry.js b/src/systems/dashboard/widgetRegistry.js
index 8af7a09..8ce572c 100644
--- a/src/systems/dashboard/widgetRegistry.js
+++ b/src/systems/dashboard/widgetRegistry.js
@@ -87,7 +87,10 @@ export class WidgetRegistry {
         if (!definition.minSize.w || !definition.minSize.h) {
             throw new Error('[WidgetRegistry] Widget minSize must have w and h properties');
         }
-        if (!definition.defaultSize.w || !definition.defaultSize.h) {
+        // defaultSize can be a function (column-aware) or static object
+        if (typeof definition.defaultSize === 'function') {
+            // If function, we can't validate until runtime, skip validation
+        } else if (!definition.defaultSize.w || !definition.defaultSize.h) {
             throw new Error('[WidgetRegistry] Widget defaultSize must have w and h properties');
         }
 
diff --git a/src/systems/dashboard/widgets/userInfoWidget.js b/src/systems/dashboard/widgets/userInfoWidget.js
index 59dfd00..8b12a7d 100644
--- a/src/systems/dashboard/widgets/userInfoWidget.js
+++ b/src/systems/dashboard/widgets/userInfoWidget.js
@@ -38,13 +38,19 @@ export function registerUserInfoWidget(registry, dependencies) {
         description: 'User avatar, name, and level display',
         category: 'user',
         minSize: { w: 1, h: 1 },
-        defaultSize: { w: 1, h: 1 }, // Start compact (1x1), expansion will grow it based on columns
-        // Column-aware max size: mobile (2-col) stays 1x1, desktop (3-4 col) expands vertically to 1x2
+        // Column-aware default size: start at 2x1 in desktop so mood doesn't block expansion
+        defaultSize: (columns) => {
+            if (columns <= 2) {
+                return { w: 1, h: 1 }; // Mobile: compact 1x1
+            }
+            return { w: 2, h: 1 }; // Desktop: 2x1 from the start
+        },
+        // Column-aware max size: same as defaultSize to prevent further expansion
         maxAutoSize: (columns) => {
             if (columns <= 2) {
                 return { w: 1, h: 1 }; // Mobile: stay compact to allow mood widget beside it
             }
-            return { w: 1, h: 2 }; // Desktop: expand vertically, mood fits top-right
+            return { w: 2, h: 1 }; // Desktop: 2x1, mood sits in top-right
         },
         requiresSchema: false,
 
diff --git a/style.css b/style.css
index fe5f7bb..66d67dd 100644
--- a/style.css
+++ b/style.css
@@ -4323,7 +4323,7 @@ body:has(.rpg-panel.rpg-position-left) #sheld {
 
     /* User Stats Widget - add bottom padding to prevent last bar (Arousal) from being clipped */
     .rpg-widget .rpg-stats-grid {
-        padding-bottom: 0.3rem !important;
+        padding-bottom: 0.5rem !important;
     }
 
     /* Mood Widget - increase conditions text size for readability */