I’ve lived in mid-size apartment complexes and smaller ones. But it doesn’t seem to matter what the size of the complex is, there are people on all sides, crammed in close quarters where it’s easier to get on each others’ nerves. So what do you do about those annoying neighbors? What should you do so that you aren’t unwittingly one of those neighbors yourself?
Noise
The most common annoyance between neighbors is noise - lawnmowers running at seven in the morning on a Saturday, late parties that blast music three nights a week, dogs that bark half the day and all night long, paper-thin walls that let you hear every word of a phone conversation. Excessive noise is annoying, which only seems to exacerbate when you’re trying to sleep.
When dealing with noisy neighbors the first step is to let them know that they’re being noisy without being accusatory. They may not even realize they’re causing a lot of noise. Let the girl know you can hear every word of her phone conversations. Let the video gamer know that the bass music carries well and keeps you up at night. We can’t fix what we don’t know or realize. For the neighbor that works nights, discuss a noise compromise that works for both of you.
Second step is to buy earplugs.
In return, employ common courtesy yourself. Be conscious of how much noise you’re making and at what hours. For any activity that causes a lot of noise, you’re safest bet is to do it between the hours of 9am and 9pm, so limit yourself to those hours. These activities can include vacuuming, running the dishwasher, yard work, and sometimes even crafting projects. You can still watch tv after nine but turn down the volume. If you love to listen to music constantly, wear headphones in the apartment and don’t blast your car stereo outside. When you’re going to have a party give your neighbors a heads up so they’ll know what to expect.
Guests
You may love your guests, but your neighbors probably won’t. Guests mean more noise and more crowding. To accommodate this let your guests know ahead of time where they can park. Parking in another resident’s spot is a big no-no and blocking parking anywhere is also. Tell your guests what your rental contract says about noise and when they need to be quiet.
Animals
The biggest potential offences from animals are noise, smell, and mess. If you want to keep your pet and they make a lot of noise consider taking them to training classes. As for the smell and mess, clean up after them and dispose of waste properly.
For a neighbor’s animal, approach it the same way you would a noisy neighbor. See above.
Other
Most apartments have access to a laundry facility on site. When doing laundry, time it so that your clothes aren’t sitting in a machine for hours. The other residents need to do laundry too. After using the dryer, clean the lint screen before you leave.
Apartments are small, but keep your belongings inside and not in the hallway or around your front door.
Smile and wave at those who greet you. You could even try to be the one who smiles and waves first.
