Making friends with your neighbors is one of the best ways to create a safe, friendly, and comfortable neighborhood. However, unlike the days of childhood, making friends as an adult can be challenging. If you’re not one to give up, then the tips below can be helpful for making friends with your neighbors. From the family down the block to your less-than-talkative next door neighbor, there are ways you can break through to anyone.
1. Smile and Say Hello
It can be easy to get wrapped up in everyday life and turn a blind eye to those you see the most often within your community. Unfortunately, this could leave your neighbors with the impression that you’re cold, unfriendly, or unwilling to make friends. Flashing a smile as you pass by a family taking a walk or saying “hello” to someone taking out the trash can spark conversation and mark the beginning of a friendship.
2. Host a Party
Whether you’re new to the neighborhood or you’d just like to get to know those who live around you better, there’s no better way to do it than a party. Just make sure you invite all of the neighbors so nobody feels left out. If possible, turn it into a block party where everyone can get to know each other better. You might be surprised to find out how friendly your neighbors really are.
If you want to go the extra mile, rent a bouncy house for kids and incorporate a few games into the mix. This will help you meet families as well as singles who are living on their own.
3. Don’t Let Disputes Sour Relationships
It’s an unfortunate reality that neighborhood disputes can arise at any time. Whether your neighbor is letting their dog on your lawn or they’re putting belongings on your property line, it’s important to handle the situation with grace. Overreacting is only going to heighten emotions and break any existing friendship that you have going. The Huffington Post recommends talking things out in order to find an amicable solution.
4. Create or Join a Group
Do you see a few people running or walking together in the mornings? Or would you like to create a craft group? These types of activities are common enough that they may incite interest in your neighbors. Whether you go door-to-door or put up signs at the community center, you’ll be able to see if there any neighbors interested in the same things as you. If so, you can look forward to getting to know those people while doing an activity or hobby that you enjoy.
5. Go Online
With social media reigning supreme when it comes to contacting friends and family, it can be difficult to meet your neighbors in-person. Fortunately, there’s a solution. CNN found a website that can solve your problem. This type of social media platform is specifically designed to help you get to know those who are right outside your door. Unlike other websites, this isn’t designed to connect you to your existing friends and family. Instead, it’s geared towards meeting your neighbors so you can make connections and create friendships. You might find a babysitter, a best friend, or simply someone to sip coffee with by using sites like these!
6. Explore Your Neighborhood
Most of your neighbors likely hang out within the community, so why not explore these places for yourself? From the coffee shop around the corner to the community center where plays are held, you will have the chance to meet a lot of your neighbors. You might also want to go for walks on the weekend to become more familiar with the streets around you. A huge benefit of doing this, other than the exercise, is you’ll likely meet a lot of people who are outside as well.
Making the Most of Your Neighborhood
When you’re friends with your neighbors, life is simply easier. From having someone to watch your house when you’re gone to finding a carpool group, there are many benefits of making neighborhood buddies. While you don’t have to be best friends, a warm relationship is something you’ll never regret. Use the tips above to begin building these friendships and see how they flourish over time.
