APARTMENT ETIQUETTE : Secrets You Need To Know

Apartment living may relieve you of the hassles of home ownership, but it comes with its own set of responsibilities. When it comes to etiquette, living in an apartment can be challenging. A little respect goes a long way toward making apartment living simpler. 

This article provides a few pointers on maintaining a respectful relationship with your apartment neighbours so that you can live in harmony – or as close to it as possible.

The basic etiquette: Be courteous to others.

You don’t have to know who they are, but a simple hello or greeting might go a long way. Making friends makes it easy to communicate in the future if someone has any queries or concerns.

Acknowledge neighbours who smile or greet you.

You are not meant to stop and converse, but a simple smile and wave would suffice. Remember those nastier feelings you had towards folks you’d said hello to but who ignored you? You don’t want others to think of you in that light.

1. Don’t be creepy or bothersome. While being polite is essential, respecting the neighbours’ right to privacy is also necessary. Don’t expect folks to invite you by just knocking on their doors. Pay attention to your neighbours’ body language. Is it clear that they’re in a hurry? Have they expressly said that they are in a hurry? Then put down your phone and let them go!
2. Get to know the administration and personnel of the property. Maintain a contact list in case you require repair or in the event of an emergency. Put all work requests in writing.
3. Participate in the activities, discussion board, or tenant portal your apartment hosts. One of the possible advantages of apartment living is that neighbours look out for each other. Introducing yourself is the first step toward getting the most out of your community.

When entering and exiting, speak softly.

It may be common to stroll from the parking lot to your front door and back, but you should consider how loud someone is. Avoid stomping on stairwells, especially if you’re leaving early in the morning or returning late at night.

Not all tenants work a “9-5” job and may be trying to sleep during “normal” daylight hours. Try not to stroll around your apartment with wood floors in your shoes (put them on before leaving and remove them upon returning to your apartment). 

In the hallways, keep the volume down to a whisper. Loud laughter and chats disturb persons who are relaxed or asleep. Gently close the doors behind you. Apartment doors cause noise. Make sure they don’t slam shut.

Be mindful of the level of noise inside the flat.

This is one of the most prevalent grievances brought to the attention of management. If you live above another person, you’ll need to be more considerate of their noise. 

Heavy-duty footwear, such as boots or high heels, creates more noise than soft footwear. Thumping your heels around the kitchen in the middle of the night isn’t essential. Take heed if a neighbor suggests you reduce your music’s volume. If you have hard flooring, you’ll need rugs and rug pads.

1. On weekends or when you know everyone is at work, vacuum or use exercise equipment. Vibrations and noise travel through the flooring and might be much louder than you believe.
2. Children should be taught “quiet time” rules. Allow them to run and play around during the day, but remind them that once the sun sets, they must stop. 
3. Spend valuable time outside, such as at a local community playground, instead of allowing them to cause havoc within. If you don’t have a carpet, put a lot of rugs on the floor to minimize the noise from the kids.
4. Allowing children to run or play in the halls is not a good idea.
5. Reduce the volume of electronic devices like radios and televisions. If you have wall-to-wall neighbors, you might want to move your gadgets away from them. Invest in headphones if you’re hard of hearing or want to listen to music at a high volume.

Have laundry etiquette on-site.

It’s best to time each machine and not leave clothes unattended for long periods. A standard washer takes about 30 minutes to run, while a dryer might take anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes to dry.

• Never stop someone else’s laundry in the middle of a wash or a drying cycle to use a machine.
• Never put someone else’s damp clothes in the dryer. Whether it’s air drying or using a particular machine dial/setting, everyone has their own unique manner of drying clothes. The delicates, on the other hand, should never be put in the dryer!
• You may take another person’s clothes from an otherwise usable machine if no washers and dryers are available. If you have the time, please wait at least 10 minutes. Never put their clothes on the floor; instead, place them in a clean plastic bag, on a counter, or a folding table.
• Spills should be cleared up, and always clean the lint screens. Who likes to clean up after someone else who completed a load before you?

Have a dumpster etiquette in your apartment.

Make a habit to dismantle and fold cartons and other small things.

Understand the rules for various types of apartment parking.

Respect all parking spot boundaries by parking within the lines rather than on them, and don’t park consecutively.

It’s never a good idea to presume you can use an empty area. Even if it was only for a few minutes, you could undoubtedly forget about having a decent relationship with your neighbor if they return and find your automobile parked in their area.