Whether you are relocating abroad, or just to the next suburb, there is always going to be noise, mess, and a lot of stress on the day of the move…for you and your neighbors.
In the interests of being a good neighbor, it’s wise to let your closest neighbors – those living next door, or in the same apartment block – know about your impending move. Apart from just being neighborly, this could have practical benefits…like them volunteering to help you.
To make things easier for everyone, and to be as least disruptive as possible, here are a few pointers:
1. Notify your neighbors in advance
You can do this by going door-to-door, distributing flyers around the neighborhood, or posting a notification in your apartment building lobby. If your neighborhood has a group social media page, that’s a good way to let people know, too.
This will help your neighbors plan their lives around your move and alert any guests they may have about possible disruption or parking problems.
If you are in an apartment block, your moving van may have to block the communal parking area for a while. Let your neighbors know about this well in advance, so they can move their cars if needed.
2. Move on a weekday
To be more specific, you should plan your move for mid- to late morning, or early afternoon on a weekday. That’s the best time to move because there should be less traffic in your neighborhood, parking for the moving van will be easier, and you won’t block your neighbors from getting in and out of their driveways, as they will probably already be at work.
Apart from the traffic considerations, the inevitable noise factor will be less of a problem.
3. Clean up your mess
There will be packing materials, broken cartons, polystyrene insulation, plastic wrap, rope, plastic ties, stuff you decide to discard….all sorts of garbage lying around. Make an effort to clean up as you progress through the move. It’s better than having to do so right at the end when the mound is likely to be huge. That way, you’ll leave your good name intact!
Remember to do this when you arrive at your new home, as well. Don’t sully your reputation in your new neighborhood before you’ve even spent the first night there!
Read more about making friends with new neighbors in this blog post.
4. Say Goodbye
Last of all, say goodbye to you neighbors and thank them for their patience and help. You could do this by throwing a farewell party in the neighborhood park or your backyard. It is an ideal way to celebrate the end of an era and bid farewell to everyone.
At the party, you could also set up a “goodie bag” station where you can place all of the items you are not taking with you or putting in storage. Let all of your guests know that those items are up for grabs and they can feel free to take home anything they choose. If your neighborhood has a Facebook page, you can also take pictures of all the items you wish to give away and post them there, inviting your neighbors to claim anything they might want. This would be a good idea in case any of your neighbors are unable to attend the going-away party. They will surely appreciate the parting gifts.
Also, make sure your old neighbors – especially those who have become close friends – have your new contact information. Promise to stay in touch with them, sending updates and news about your new home and locality. In addition to maintaining the friendship, it will also help in redirecting mail and parcel delivery, or to enable contact for any contingencies that may arise after you move out.
There are so many things to consider when moving – especially on the day of the move. With these tips, disturbing your neighbors will not be one of them!