5 Great Ways to Befriend Your New Neighbors After a Move

It’s said that each move to a new place is a new beginning. But more often than not, it feels like a temporary interruption of our routine flow of things. It’s like pushing the reset button of our inner biological system while we’ve been running about our lives smoothly and at full speed. The crazy whirl of busy preparations and activities before and on moving day has left us emotionally and physically drained, staring wearily at a huge pile of boxes and thinking gloomily of the days of hard work ahead. And it takes days and days, months even, until the booting process is over and the full processing power is finally back in our hands so that we can get our lives back on track.

Yes, time has always been our enemy, and it’s especially true right after a move. There are simply too many things to do – unpacking, arranging stuff, cleaning, possible repair works, putting some finishing touches around the new place so that it feels more like home, writing a moving review of the services of your moving company, etc. Plus, managing a new job (or hunting for one), finding a new good school for our children and a new reliable family doctor should be right on the top of our immediate priorities.

In fact, having relocated to an unfamiliar neighborhood, we get so busy and wrapped up in our own problems and worries, that the thought of properly introducing ourselves to our new neighbors gets pushed way back in our heads. Sometimes we never actually do it – it just sort of happens by itself. However, good manners dictate that we try to find the time and make an effort to meet the folks next door, get to know them a bit better and hopefully find a few friends among them.

Here are 5 foolproof steps you can undertake to befriend your new neighbors and thus accelerate the acclimatization process.

1. Make The Initial Step

You are the new face in the vicinity and as such, it’s customary that your neighbors knock on your door and welcome you to their neighborhood. But because this welcoming gesture depends strongly upon where you have moved to and what kind of people your neighbors are, it’s best that you don’t count on it. Today most people are rather busy – they’re desperately seeking the right balance between demanding (multiple) jobs, raising a family and just about anything else that life throws at them. And besides, it’s never that straightforward – some people are shy and introverted, others will wait for your move in fear of invading your privacy. Or you could be unfortunate enough to have confirmed nosy folks trotting along, way before the last moving box has been placed inside your new home, either to gossip about other neighbors or badmouth the neighborhood until your ears fall off.

Either way, don’t expect your neighbors to be the ones to make the first contact. Take a deserving break from unpacking and go to each of your neighbors, say hi, introduce yourself and shake their hands. And once you’ve made your existence known, why not invite them over to your place for a humble housewarming cocktail party?

2. Organize A Housewarming Party

Organizing an informal afternoon get-together is a great way to get to know your new neighbors a bit better, and besides it doesn’t need to be anything special at all. You’ve just moved to an unfamiliar neighborhood where everyone is yet a stranger. Most neighbors will realize this fact and won’t expect any miracles from you, so don’t go to any great lengths to make them happen. What usually works best in these circumstances is a casual cocktail party with drinks (wine, beer, fruit juice and sodas), together with some crackers and cheese or other appetizers. If you can spare some of your valuable time and want to impress the people next door with your cooking skills, you may even prepare some home-made treats for them. Again, it’s all up to you and nobody should mind if you didn’t. After all, you’ll have plenty of time later on to show them your strengths.

Tidy up your new home (if you haven’t done it already), buy the necessary supplies and then go and invite each neighbor in person. If you feel like, you may even craft unique written invitations to add some artistic color to the event, play nice music in the background, tie a dozen of helium balloons here and there around your house. The important thing at such parties is to just relax and have some fun – be yourself and hopefully you’ll meet some really nice and caring individuals.

3. Neighbors Are Your Local Wikipedia

Striking an informal conversation is the most natural way of becoming closer with your next-door neighbors. Don’t forget to greet them friendly whenever you meet them. A simple “Hi, how are you?” may be the first wobbly stepping stone which will later transform into a solid bridge of close relationships and cherished friendships.

As a newcomer, at first you’re surely going to need some assistance until you learn your ways around the unfamiliar setting. Most neighbors will be glad to provide you with useful information about schools, places of worship, grocery stores, reliable providers, etc. Also, by giving you insider tips and unique pointers about their own neighborhood, they will undoubtedly feel good about themselves for number one – helping another human being, and number two – having this proud sense of belongingness of being an inseparable part of a community.

So, don’t hesitate to go to your neighbors whenever you need a helping pair of hands or pieces of advice on issues that may be troubling you. After all, you would do the same for them, right? Figuratively speaking, your neighbors can well be your baby walker until you learn to confidently run on your own again.

4. Look For Common Things That Connect You

Shared interests and common fortunes, or misfortunes, are strong bond-makers that work almost every time. Keep an eye for things that connect you, like walking in the park, jogging, any sports activities or similar hobbies. Children are terrific ice-breakers, and so are pets. If you have kids, they can find the perfect next-door playmates and you’ll have the opportunity to spend more time with their parents. Walking your dog, for instance, is a sure way to get to meet other pet lovers in the neighborhood. And, if you spend more time on the outside, for example do some gardening or fix a thing or two on the outside of your house, you’ll be more “available” and it could mean an automatic invite for your neighbors to come and chat with you for a while. Or why not even lend you a helping hand?

Moreover, you can observe your neighbors’ actions and look for a set pattern – do they usually sit on their porches in the evenings? Do they have favorite hangouts, like a community center? Maybe some of them go to certain clubs. Care to join them?

On the other hand, if you get asked to participate in any of their activities but you don’t feel like it, it’s okay to refuse politely and state the reasons for your unwillingness to do so. They should well know that they can lead a horse to the water but they can’t make it drink.

5. Be A Good Neighbor

It’s important to be a good neighbor, and remain such even if you don’t get treated with the respect you deserve. Always try to be courteous and whenever a neighbor is willing to help you, thank them for their thoughtfulness. Needless to say, you yourself should be open to assist them in any way you can.

The thing is, life is wildly unpredictable and you never know who among your new neighbors may become a lifelong friend of yours.

After your relocation, adjusting to your new and unfamiliar environment takes its due time, and rushed acclimatization will do nobody any good. You need to set your own pace and maintain your comfort level throughout the adjustment process. You cannot just say to yourself, “Okay, I’m already pretty comfortable with my new environment, my new neighbors, my new life.” Rather, you have to feel it inside.

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