How is the relationship with your neighbors going? If you want to improve it AVOID doing these 13 things!
The neighborhood is more than just a collection of houses or apartments, it’s a community of people. Neighbors who look after each other make communities safer and life generally better, creating a supportive and cohesive environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging. However, there are still neighbors that can easily drive you crazy. And… don’t forget that is hard for them to love you too if you do something inappropriate. This article aims to show you which are the things you should avoid doing if you want to bond easily and beautifully with the ones around you and stay away from conflicts.
1. Talk too loud in your yard
Talking loudly with your family in the yard is an action that can drive your neighbors crazy immediately. So, if you want to be liked by them, avoid talking too loud while you are in the garden. It’s very annoying to be disturbed by someone’s voice or noise while relaxing and having the best time in your house.
2. Too many yard sales
As we all know, sometimes the number of yard sales can be overwhelming. Neighbors don’t like it because of the inevitable mess created. It’s not comfortable at all, knowing that a bunch of strangers are spending their day near your house. The noise created but also the feeling of space invasion are two of the most common reasons why too many yard sales are not something neighbors agree with.
3. Leaving your dog to bark for hours
All the dogs bark sometimes … and it’s not their fault! However, it would be best if you taught your pets that there are some rules they should respect. Training may seem hard, but helped by a professional, it can be done faster than you can imagine. So, if your dog’s barking gets out of control, make sure you do something before he drives your neighbors crazy. Unfortunately, they’ll not only hate your dog they’ll also hate you.
4. Filling all shared trash cans
It happens often for townhomes and communities to share trash cans. Be careful not to fill them just with your trash. Find ways to decrease the volume, recycle more, break down plastic bottles, and consider how much waste you generate. You are not the online one who needs trash pickup service.
5. Feeding stray dogs or cats
Feeding stray dogs or cats can be annoying for some of your neighbors if they don’t want any pets around their house. As we all know, once we feed a stray pet we become friends forever so it will be really hard to keep the four-legged friends far from home. Cats are worse than dogs since they can be very insistent and aggressive. The same goes for feeding birds, it creates a mess the neighbors will be very angry about.
6. Throwing parties often
Frequent load parties aren’t accepted anywhere! And, keep in mind that loud music is not the only problem. Since a party requires guests, they will take up all the street parking spots, can be seen drunk while leaving your house, and create an entirely unpleasant environment for everyone living around. By doing so, you are intruding on others’ right to peace and sleep, which is not helping at all if you want to become the neighbor of the year!
7. Your kids in their yard
Not everyone loves kids, or the noise and mess they can make in just a few minutes. So, to keep peace in your neighborhood, make sure you keep your kids away from other people’s yards. Organize a specially designed playground for them, in a place they can safely play, but also not disturb the people living nearby.
8. Your dog in their yard
We already talked about how annoying barking can be. Well, for some people, the simple presence of your pet in their yard can be very disturbing. So, make sure you keep your dog away from them and their personal space if you want to maintain the peace in the community. Dog poop is probably their biggest nightmare. So, if it happens for your dog to end up on their grass or sidewalk, make sure you clean everything immediately. Even the dirt doesn’t have anything to do with your dog, clean everything up. You don’t want to be seen as a neighbor that doesn’t clean his dog’s poop.
9. Neighborhood social media groups
In the past few years, the social media groups communities created are what generated most of the conflicts. People avoid talking about their issues face to face and they end up exposing their neighbors publicly, which doesn’t help at all. Even though Facebook groups can be great for useful recommendations, a lot of times people tend to take everything personally and too seriously. Avoid saying anything that can be easily solved by a face-to-face interaction.
10. Asking to use their Wi-Fi
Are you new in the neighborhood? Don’t ask for the Wi-Fi password! You are a stranger to the community living there and asking for too much can be seen as an invasion of privacy. Unless your neighbor offers to share her Wi-Fi password with you, find another way to go online. The same goes for Netflix, Prime, or HBO Max, don’t count on someone else paying for services you want to use.
11. Your house’s paint
Avoid painting your house in uncommon colors. It will make your neighbors hate you immediately. However, you better avoid doing anything that can be seen as inappropriate. If you are not feeling inspired enough, ask people at the paint store to help you choose the best color and shade. Your neighbors will observe and admire your effort to blend in.
12. The smoke from your barbecue
The smoke from your barbecue that wafts into their open windows will instantly annoy your neighbors… You can’t control the wind, we know that! But you should avoid having a barbecue in the garden as long as it bothers the ones around. No one would like to feel the smoke inside their house. Also, no one would like to enjoy the smell but not be invited to the party that is taking place. So, if you want to be part of a beautiful community you should respect these unwritten rules.
13. Refusing to say hello
You don’t have to be best friends in order to show respect for each other. But, we think is important to remember their names and respectfully greet the persons living nearby. By refusing to say hello when you see each other you break the rules of neighborliness. You don’t need to get personal if you don’t feel so, but a friendly hello is essential for healthy and happy communities.
On the other hand, if you want to be more than just simple neighbors, you can offer the newly arrived neighbors a gift, such as this beautiful kitchen towel, found on Amazon. “Neighbors by chance, friends by choice” is a good message for a gift and it’s great to start a friendship.
Before leaving, make sure you check out another related article: 10 Sure Signs That Your Neighbors Don’t Like You. Were you ever treated badly by your neighbors or you’ve always been their favorite? Tell us about your experience of living in a small community. You can write is in the comment section found below.
