Noisy apartment neighbors aren’t easy to handle, but it won’t be a nightmare if you follow some simple Noisy Apartment Neighbor Tips.
There are some advantages to renting an apartment. When the kitchen sink is busted, you just call maintenance. When you need to take out the garbage, you just place it in the dumpster rather than hauling a heavy container streetside. But let’s face it, noisy apartment neighbors can make apartment living unbearable.
Noisy Neighbors: Start With the Gentle Approach
You’ve been in that situation before; the neighbors’ party upstairs is loud and thumping, with the vibrations radiating through your head at 3 a.m while you’ve got to be up at 6 for your daily commute. You’d like to take the not-so-gentle approach, but try to keep your cool and your calm about you.
Consider the fact that your noisy apartment neighbors might not realize just how loud their TV or music is, and how easily it carries through the wall, floor, or ceiling to your apartment. Or maybe your apartment hasn’t been rented in the last 3 months, and they didn’t realize there was a new occupant.
Noisy Neighbors: Communicate with Your Noisy Apartment Neighbors
You’re in apartment 3B, and your noisy neighbors in 3A are playing Merle Haggard at 100 decibels again. Try simply knocking on their door and saying with a smile, “Hi. I’m your neighbor over in 3B, and your music is REALLY noisy. I need to get up early in the morning for work. Do you think you could be a good neighbor and turn it down? I’d really appreciate it.”
Drop Your Noisy Apartment Neighbors a Line
If you’re nervous about approaching your noisy apartment neighbors directly, we can’t blame you. Try a nice little card or note later explaining the problem and asking them to not pump up the volume quite so loudly. Sometimes a pre-emptive kind deed or small gift with your note can do wonders.
Noisy Neighbors: Survive with Accessories
As a temporary or more long-term measure, earplugs can do wonders. Or plug yourself into your iPod and crank up those ocean waves. You might also try experimenting with decorating the wall facing the noisy apartment neighbors with sound-absorbing material. Egg-shaped Styrofoam works best. Get creative.
If Your Noisy Apartment Neighbors Aren’t Responding
Sometimes a struggle with noisy apartment neighbors requires more than just clear communication. Take your noisy apartment problem to your apartment management, discuss the problem and ask them what they can do. Most likely, they’ll approach your neighbor themselves at first in a reasonable manner, but they may have more influence.
Good luck resolving your noisy apartment neighbor dilemma!
