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Moving to a new house can be stressful. Packing your whole life into boxes, scheduling movers (or renting your own moving fan,) changing the children from one school to another; the list of things to do when you move can feel never-ending. And often, the move in itself isn’t the hardest part. When you move from one house to another, you’re also uprooting yourself from your neighborhood and local community and moving to an entirely new place. If you were in a fairly tight-knit community before you moved, you’ll be on the lookout for a similar experience in your new area, especially if you have children. The neighborhood you move into is just as important as the house. In fact, before you’ve purchased a new home you should look at the area as a whole to determine if the environment is what you’re looking for.
After settling in and unpacking boxes, it’s the perfect time to start building your rep as a great neighbor. Being involved in the local area and local community events can help you quickly get familiar with the new area, but meeting your neighbors first might be more convenient and easier. Do a little scouting of the neighborhood beforehand. Go for a walk down your new street and keep an eye out for the ‘type’ of people who live there. Are there families? Do people sit out on the front porch to watch the world go by? Are the houses clean and tidy on the outside? Do people say hello to you as you pass? All of these are important things to note when it comes to becoming part of the community spirit around you!
Once you have determined the people in your neighborhood you think you’ll click with, it’s time to think about what you can bring to the neighborhood itself. We’ve got six things you could do to be a great neighbor and get connected with your neighbors.
Go And Say Hello.
The first step of meeting anyone is to say “Hello.” If you’re not a particularly sociable person, this may be a hard one but it’s something you CAN do! Bringing a small gift, like candy or chocolate, can be a nice icebreaker as you go out to knock on the doors and introduce yourself. Some neighbors might stop by to introduce themselves first, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make the first step.
Get Involved.
Community events are important, but unless you get yourself involved you won’t know much about them. You can learn more here about how you can raise funds for your local community and events. Neighbors will be impressed with your can-do attitude and care about improving the neighborhood. Being involved will make you visible and your efforts will benefit everyone.
Be Considerate.
As you get to know your neighbors, you’ll get to know the ones who are afraid of dogs, work nights and need quiet in the day. You’ll know the ones who are a little lonely or the ones who like to keep to themselves. Being considerate of their lifestyle is important when you join a new neighborhood, and they’ll thank you for it!
Avoid Noise Pollution.
If you are in a house that is attached to another or is very close to another home, you need to be considerate of your noise levels. Keeping the loud playtime down after a reasonable hour and don’t blast music loudly early in the morning. Be respectful that other people might not want to hear your noise.
Consider Parking Etiquette.
Where possible, avoid blocking anyone else’s access to their drive. It’s not only impolite, it’s impractical, especially if you have your own driveway. Don’t be THAT GUY!
Party? Invite All!
When you host a party in the neighborhood, it can be impolite to leave people out. Where possible, extend an invitation to your neighbors so that they don’t hear the music and feel left out. Of course, you’re not under any obligation to invite anyone to a party if you don’t want to, but it’s a nice gesture, especially when you’re new.
Being a new neighbor and getting to know people isn’t always easy. While fitting isn’t always easy, the effort you make to get to know your neighbors and to be a great neighbor will be noticed. As the newest addition to the neighborhood, people will be curious to know more about you. If you follow good neighborly manners and etiquette, they’ll appreciate you even more. There is so much that you can do to make your move easy and getting to know your neighbors will help you complete your move in style!
What do you look for in a good neighbor?
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