Like to crank up your music and dance around your apartment while you clean, fold laundry, or get ready for a night out? You’re not the only one!
But depending on where you live, that might not be an option.
If you rent an apartment or share a wall with a neighbor, you’re probably well-aware of the noise they make. But have you ever stopped to consider how much noise you make and how it affects them?
Ready to become a better neighbor? Here are the five things to keep in mind when playing music in your apartment:
1. Not Everyone Has Your Taste in Music
Just because you’re blasting what you consider to be the best song ever, it’s important to remember one thing:
Not everyone has your taste in music!
Whether you play an instrument or just like to turn up the radio, you need to recognize the fact that we all have our own preferences. What you love is what someone else loathes, and vice versa.
Your favorite bands and songs are YOUR favorites, but they might not be anyone else’s.
Don’t assume you’re entertaining the apartment complex by turning the volume up to ten on your favorite track. What’s entertaining to you may be nothing but noise for the person next door.
2. Some People Are Sensitivity to Noise
Everyone has a different tolerance for noise, so what’s not loud to you may be loud to someone else.
Some people can sleep with honking sirens, a blaring TV, and a bass-thumping dance party going on around them. Other people need to sleep in silence. To be considerate of your neighbors, try to keep your noise level to a minimum.
And that includes your music.
Let’s say your neighbor has a pup that barks all night. It might drive you crazy, but they might be so accustomed to the sound that they don’t even notice it anymore.
Your music might not seem loud or annoying to you, but for someone who doesn’t want to hear it, it can be a huge nuisance.
3. Be Conscious of Other People’s Schedules
Knowing your neighbors’ schedules is the best way to determine when it’s okay to be a little loud (and when to be extra quiet). Try to play your music when no one else is around or, at the very least, when your neighbors aren’t trying to sleep.
If all of your neighbors work during the day and you work at night, it might be fine to play your music a bit louder in the afternoon.
On the other hand, if your neighbors work at night and sleep during the day, the afternoon is the worst time to blast tunes.
Try your best to play music when no one else is around.
Make yourself aware of any noise restrictions or quiet hours that may exist in your apartment building — and follow them closely. If you don’t, you could end up with a noise violation fine that leads to your eviction.
If there aren’t specific quiet hours, use common sense.
In most places, it’s acceptable to make moderate noise between 9 a.m and 9 p.m. (Keep in mind that every city and apartment complex has different rules.)
Try to be your quietest between the hours of 9 p.m and 9 a.m, when most people are asleep.
4. Communicate With Your Neighbors
The best way to have a healthy relationship with your neighbors is to introduce yourself. That way, if you do get a little loud on occasion, they’ll feel comfortable coming directly to you.
Without an open line of communication, their first step may be to file a noise complaint with the landlord.
If you’re a musician, it’s important to let your neighbors know. Depending on your schedule and theirs, you may need to rent a practice space so you can perfect your craft elsewhere.
5. Take Measures to Minimize Noise
As important as it is to be mindful of your neighbors, you also have every right to live your life the way you want to live it. You pay rent too, so you shouldn’t feel like you’re a prisoner in your own home or that you can’t do what you want behind closed doors.
Luckily, there is a way to play your music as loudly as you want and keep your neighbors happy.
It’s called taking preventative measures.
Here are a few things you can do to avoid bothering your neighbors with noise:
Wear Headphones
The most obvious way to enjoy loud music without anyone else hearing it is to wear headphones.
Get a pair of wireless headphones that you can wear comfortably for hours. They’ll allow you to dance around the house or do whatever it else you like to do with your favorite band playing in the background.
Buy Some Area Rugs
For renters who have hardwood floors, area rugs are a great way to dampen sound.
Add areas rugs in your living room and bedroom to cushion the noise for your downstairs neighbors. It might not make much of a difference for the neighbors above or beside you, but the ones below you will appreciate it.
Soundproof Your Walls
If you’re a musician who needs to practice your instrument at home, you may need to go a step further and soundproof your walls.
Depending on your instrument, you may be able to practice and play with headphones on. If that’s not an option, invest in sound-dampening materials to absorb the noise.
Conclusion
We all love music, but if you live in an apartment with neighbors close by, there are a few things to keep in mind before you crank your volume up:
- Realize that not everyone has your taste in music.
- Understand that some people are sensitive to noise.
- Be thoughtful of your neighbors’ sleep and work schedules.
- Keep an open line of communication with your neighbors.
- Take preventative measures to minimize noise.
With these tips and tricks in mind, you should be able to play your music as loudly as you want without disturbing anyone around you.
Author bio:
Caitlin Sinclair is the Business Manager at Broadstone Heights Waterworks. With over five years of property management experience, she enjoys making Broadstone a place that everyone loves to call home.