Unless you live in a cabin in the middle of the woods, alone and miles from your nearest neighbor, your decision to move to a new home will have an impact on their daily lives. So in order to remain as a good neighbor while moving with your neighbors and be remembered as a kind and courteous person, here are a few tips to keep in mind as you prepare for your moving adventure.
Consider the day of the week and time of day that you do the bulk of your moving
Though to some degree, it may depend on the scheduling needs of your moving company, your neighbors would likely appreciate if you planned your moving hours during the week, after they’ve gone to work. The hours between 9-4 are the best time to move when you’re least likely to disturb them with noise, interfere with parking, or accidentally get in their way. Do consider, however, slightly altering those hours if you have a neighbor with a baby — if you can communicate closely to avoid too much moving noise during prime nap time, you’ll score a few points for being considerate.
Notify your neighbors of what’s to come
If you live in a scenario where parking is tight, or stairways are shared, or you absolutely must move your belongings at an odd hour, be sure you let your neighbors know so they can be prepared and won’t be surprised (and annoyed) by the noise of furniture moving. If you will need anyone’s parking space or will be blocking anyone’s access to the building or to their usual paths of entry, you should be sure they are aware of that, too. Do your best to avoid doing that during prime hours, though, or be prepared to bake cookies for them all to compensate.
Leave it cleaner than you found it
After the moving truck has left, check the hallways, stairways, and the parking lot or yard for any garbage or debris that has been left behind. Keep your old neighborhood clean — or even cleaner than it was — and you’ll be remembered as a good neighbor.
Say goodbye before you’re out the door
Don’t wait until moving day to say your goodbyes or exchange contact information. Have a moving party before you leave — especially if you’re in the position of getting rid of a bunch of stuff, it can be a fun way to get people together and give away some of your possessions. Take that time to say thanks for the good times, and if you’d like to keep in touch, put out your address book and invite people to write in their contact information. This can save you a fair amount of time and energy on moving day, which is not really the moment you want to be exchanging well-wishes with your neighbors. For a few ideas on thoughtful ways to say goodbye to your neighbors, check out our other blog post.
Hire a professional moving company
This might seem unrelated, but professional and reputable full-service movers are more likely to be considerate of your neighbors and your space on moving day. Make sure they aren’t playing loud music from the truck, or having loud conversations in the hallway if your neighbors are around. But if you hire a well-reviewed, vetted company, you shouldn’t have to worry about that.
