Are you constantly playing loud music in your apartment and forcing your neighbors to bang on your door before you turn it down? You’re not being a good neighbor! Loud neighbors are some of the worst neighbors in the world and make life uncomfortable for everyone.

If you live in an apartment complex, you should always be mindful of how much noise you’re making and how noise could potentially affect those around you. You should also take other steps to ensure you’re being a good neighbor.

As we celebrate National Good Neighbor Day, here are 5 tips that will help you be the best neighbor possible.

1. Say Hello to Your Neighbors When You See Them

In many cases, being a good neighbor is as simple as saying hi to someone when you see them outside your apartment or around the community. Giving them a wave or a handshake will help you form a bond with them and could lead to further conversations.

But saying hello is the least you can do to be neighborly.

2. Keep the Inside and Outside of Your Apartment Clean

No one wants to live next to someone who is a slob. So you should make every effort to clean the area around your apartment’s front door. Clear away any clutter like shoes, leaves, and garbage. You should also keep the inside of your apartment clean and tidy. If you end up with a rodent or pest problem, it could affect your neighbors down the line.

3. Return Things You Borrow From Your Neighbors

If you have good relationships with your neighbors, they might offer to lend you things from time to time. Get those things back to them in a timely fashion. If you fail to return something like an iron or a vacuum cleaner, it could cause a rift between you and your neighbors.

4. Address Any Issues You Might Have With a Neighbor Directly

Do you have a problem with something a neighbor has said or done? Try to take care of it yourself right away before it escalates into a bigger problem. Approach the neighbor and kindly address them. You should only get the police involved if you feel threatened at any time.

Many neighbors will appreciate you coming to them with a problem instead of going around them to try and solve it. It will allow you to communicate better in the future.

5. Follow Your Apartment Community’s Rules

Your apartment community likely has a set of rules that all tenants are expected to follow. Those rules cover everything from where you can park to how you should dispose of your trash. Follow those rules! They’re in place to make the community a friendly, cleaner, hand happier place to live for everyone. If you don’t, you’re not going to have many friends in your apartment community.

Being a Good Neighbor Will Be Great for Your Entire Apartment Community

The key to being a good neighbor is showing respect to those around you and being as friendly as you can be to them. By doing these things, you can make life a lot more pleasant for everyone in your apartment community. You and all your neighbors will get along a lot better and have great relationships.

Now get out there and celebrate National Good Neighbor Day!