15 Things Your Neighbors Want You to Stop Doing
Updated: Oct. 27, 2023
It's not big deal to you, but your neighbors are rolling their eyes!
Pet Neglect
There are many forms of pet neglect that are just rude. Leaving your dog chained up outside all day and letting it bark in distress is just as distressing to your neighbors. Another type of neglect would be piles of poop all over your yard. Not only is it gross not to pick up your animal’s business, but the appearance and smell of it is enough to drive passersby berserk.
Raking Leaves Into Their Yard
There are a lot of things you shouldn’t do if you want to remain on good terms with your neighbors, and raking your pile of leaves into their yard is definitely one of them.
Abandonment
A collection of rusty cars in the front yard is not a sight for sore eyes. You may be proud of the collection you’re working on, or plan to work on, but all anyone else sees is a load of junk. The same goes for abandoned toys, bikes, gardening tools, etc.
Leaving Toys in the Front Yard
Besides deducting serious points from your home’s curb appeal, leaving your kids’ toys scattered around the front yard is a dangerous habit. Abandoned Frisbees, balls, skateboards, and other outdoor toys on the lawn could make your home a target for potential burglars.
Forgetting to Mow Your Lawn
Your yard doesn’t have to look perfect to please your neighbors, but overgrown grass just makes a home look deserted and brings down the value of the entire neighborhood. A general rule: During the growing season, mowing once a week should suffice. The rest of the time, cutting every other week will do.
Not Bringing In Your Trash Bins from the Street
Trash day was Monday. Now it’s Wednesday, you’re parked on the couch inside your cozy home, and your trash bins are still on the street. While you may not care, your neighbors have to wake up to that eyesore each morning. So just take the extra 30 seconds and roll them in.
Forgetting to Close Your Garage Door
Neighbors are great for providing an extra set of eyes and ears for what’s going on in the neighborhood. But the more often you mindlessly leave your garage door open, the less chance your neighbors may notice something’s amiss — or missing.
Honking Your Horn Until the Kids Come Out
So your kids aren’t early birds and it takes forever to get them out of bed, clothed, fed and out the door. Now you’ve resorted to sitting in your running car in the driveway and honking the horn each minute they don’t come out. It may be a release of anger for you, but it’s sure to annoy the neighbors nearby as well.
Being Too Pushy
Yes, saying hello when you pass your neighbor is generally expected. But stopping every time to catch up, or knocking on their door regularly with a muffin they have to try or Girl Scout cookies they need to purchase to help your kid out, isn’t friendly — it’s pushy. Be kind, but let your neighbors have their space.
Being Overly Concerned
If you’re the type of person who is constantly keeping your neighbor up-to-date about a lurking stranger in the area, a rogue raccoon or a weather alert, back off. Your neighbors are adults. And while it’s nice to keep them in the know, use discretion and don’t overdo the warnings.
Hanging Laundry Over The Fence
So you and your neighbor built a fence to define your space. That’s good! But if you’re constantly draping your wet towels or other laundry over the fence, that’s just annoying. Keep the peace by keeping your stuff on your side of the fence.
Cleaning at Odd Hours
Whether you’re an early bird or a night owl, neither make for proper times to turn on the vacuum with the music booming to boot. What may seem a reasonable time to you may not be acceptable for others. For instance, if your neighbors have small children, try not to fire up the leaf blower at nap time.
Keeping Up with the Joneses
In case you didn’t know, waxing your Maserati every morning in the front yard so the neighbors can see is obnoxious. There are plenty of other ways you can annoy neighbors regarding possessions and prosperity. When a neighbor tells you about their new washer and dryer or barbecue grill, don’t always feel you have to one-up them with a detailed description of what you just bought. Be gracious and grateful.
Walking Around Outside in Boxers
Unless there’s an emergency, you probably have time to throw on some sweatpants to get the morning paper. No one really wants to see you down to your skivvies while they sit with their morning coffee on their porch, take an afternoon stroll through the neighborhood, or play in the yard with their kids while you mow the lawn or take a cat nap.
Letting Trash Pile Up
If you produce so much trash that you need to pile up bags around your trash bin, you’re probably annoying your neighbors. If your trash bin isn’t big enough to hold a week’s worth of your garbage, get a larger bin. No one wants to look out their window and see piles of trash stacked up. And your trash bin doesn’t have to be an eyesore.
