Most people think they’re good neighbors. They give a friendly wave every time they see them & throw the trash (mostly) in the bin. Yet not everything we do is so nice. In fact, you could be getting under your neighbors’ skin without even realizing it. Here are thirteen things you do that may be bothering your neighbors. Think any of these might be you?
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Watering your lawn at weird hours that splash onto other driveways
Your sprinkler turns on exactly at 4:45 AM. That shouldn’t be a problem. But it’s right when Susan from next door is walking her dog, so she gets a cold shower. It’s completely unintentional. Sometimes, it soaks a neighbor’s car and leaves some little dried water crusties on the windows. Your neighbors don’t say anything. But they do notice.
Letting your car idle for 10+ minutes every morning
Most of us like to sip our morning coffee in peace. But some people can’t do that because of the incessant engine noise, every single morning. It’s because you’re letting your car idle every morning. Worse still is when the weather’s cold and you’re up to 15 minutes of driveway noises. Nobody asked for a concert so early.
Always parking slightly into someone else’s space
It’s not illegal to park in someone else’s space. It’s only rude. Creeping over the line means your neighbor’s squeezing in at a weird angle. As such, any dings on their door are completely your fault now. You may not hear about these issues for a long time. And then you do.
Hanging wind chimes that never stop clinking
To start with, you put up those wind chimes to make your yard sound peaceful. But now it’s 2 AM on a breezy day. Your neighbor’s trying to sleep through those sounds, and they’re failing at it. It doesn’t matter that you’ve forgotten that those chimes are even there. They certainly haven’t.
Leaving porch deliveries out for days
You got a package on Monday. And yet it’s still there on Friday. Leaving it out for so long is enough to make people wonder if you’re out of town…or just lazy. Either way, it doesn’t exactly leave a good impression with your neighbors. Nobody likes to have that kind of look on their street.
Letting your dog bark through the window all afternoon
While your dog loves to defend the house, your neighbor next door doesn’t feel so great about it. That yap-yap-yap every time someone walks by is rather annoying. No amount of white noise helps them ignore it. It’s really quite selfish and also quite cruel to your pup.
Hosting weekly yard sales that never quite end
It started as one sale, but then it became two. Then, somehow, a full-time driveway thrift shop with folding chairs & old toys. There’s also a sign written with a faded marker. It really doesn’t matter how casual you try to make it. By week five, neighbors are avoiding eye contact simply to escape the “everything $1” pitch.
Running a loud washing machine or dryer late at night
It may seem like nothing to you. Yet the thumping sound of your washer’s spin cycle goes through the wall. Doing laundry at midnight is a bad idea because your neighbor’s definitely hearing every load. Of course, it might not seem like much to you. It adds up when they’re trying to sleep & all they get is whirrrrr–clunk–clunk.
Turning your front yard into a storage area
You kept a couple of things in your yard at first. Some tools, maybe, then a busted umbrella. But it soon looks like you’re running a yard-based storage unit. And it’s something everyone else notices. The people walking past you don’t want to stare at your broken lawn chairs every time they check the mail.
Letting your kids scream in the backyard for long stretches
Speaking of the yard, of course your kids are gonna make noise out there. Yet it’s a whole different thing when they’re outside hollering for two hours straight. What is your neighbor supposed to do when they’re on a call? Or when they’re just trying to drink coffee in peace? That nonstop screeching wears them down.
Leaving your car alarm super sensitive
No one’s touching your car. The issue is, it’s parked too close to the street, and every time a garbage truck rolls by, the sound goes off. People try to ignore it. They really do. But it’s hard to ignore the alarm when it goes off five times in one morning. After all, it’s not protecting anything, it’s just loud & repetitive.
Mowing the lawn really early on weekends
You get to work on your lawn at 7:20 AM every morning. You probably have an excuse, like maybe having plans later. Fine. But now everyone within two houses is wide awake & listening to you edge the sidewalk. Saturday mornings are supposed to be quiet. Nobody needs to hear all that noise while they’re still in bed. Try to be less selfish.
Leaving dog poop bags in other people’s trash bins
After your dog does its thing, you bag it & drop it in the first trash can that you see. But that bin belongs to someone else. They’re stuck with the smell and it’s even worse when it sits for days. Unfortunately, it happens all the time, too. You can try to be sneaky. But it’s not invisible. That stench certainly isn’t.
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