10 Tips on How to Meet Neighbors When You Move to a New Area
Moving homes and neighbourhoods can be an emotional and daunting task but with it comes new neighbors! Making meaningful connections with your neighbors can help make the move much easier. There are also a lot of benefits to befriending the people in your neighbourhood in the longer term. You have people who can water the plants while you are out of town, meet families with children who can play with yours and form relationships with people who can become long lasting friends. Here are 10 tips on how you can meet the neighbors and get to know those living next door.
Familiarize yourself with the neighbourhood
When you move into a new neighbourhood it is helpful to talk a walk around the block. Familiarize yourself with what’s around you. Are there local cafes or convenience stores? Are there any parks or communal centers? Is there a supermarket or a small grocery store? Sourcing all the local hot spots is a great way to meet new people. Even if these people aren’t direct neighbors, they may have good information about the area or handy tips for fun stuff to do.
Use social media
Another great way to meet people in your neighbourhood is to join a community Facebook group. There may be neighbourhood events that you were unaware of or forums of people discussing pressing issues in your area. Social media is a great tool to connect with people faster and find out useful information about your new surroundings.
Be friendly
A friendly smile goes a long way and can help start longer conversations with people around you. Greeting people whilst out on a walk or tending to the garden will generally always be well received.
Your new neighbors may even come and welcome you to the neighbourhood with gifts or homemade goods. In that case, you should always happily accept and can even welcome them into your home. You. may also bake or buy something yourself and go around to the neighboring homes introducing yourself.
Be considerate to others and help others
Once you are all settled in don’t forget to be considerate of the people living around you. Learn the unspoken rules of the neighbourhood like where you are allowed to park and where to throw out the trash. It is also considerate to warn neighbors if you have a lot of guests coming over and there may be a lot of cars on the road or music on until late into the evening.
You can use a time bank community to offer help. If your time bank group uses an app such as the Nomos app we have, you can advertise your skills and the fact that you want to help. This will give you the opportunity to meet others in your area that you may not have bumped into without a time bank to connect you. This is a brilliant way to meet neighbors.
Get Involved With Community Orgamizations Like Time Banks
Getting involved in neighbor activities is a great way to meet people living in your neighbourhood. The community may have a watch group or weekly food co-op that you can participate in. Immersing yourself in neighbourhood activities shows a willingness to take part and will help connect you with others.
If you can find a time banking community in the area, you can get involved in the community. There are always jobs on there you can 'offer' to help and if you need jobs carried out for you, then you can also advertise the jobs you need doing. Members of your time bank community will see you need help and connect with you to confirm they can help, you can agree on a date, and once the job is complete, time credits are exchanged. Check out our app as all this is achievable using the Nomos timebank iOS or Android download.
Host a party and invite people from around the neighborhood
There is no better way to get to know new people than inviting them over to your home for a party. Hosting a casual event is a great way to mingle with people and get to know your neighbors in a more intimate setting. If the event is a success, it can even lead to more regular get-togethers.
Ask your neighbors questions
If you are new to the neighbourhood asking questions is a great way to learn more about the area and your new neighbors. Ask where the best restaurants are, if there are any sports bars nearby or whether there is a nice park in the area. Asking questions about the area and local life can also lead into more of a conversation and help build a friendly rapport. When you see that person next you can pick up from the last time you spoke and develop a relationship from there.
Lend a hand to your neighbors and people living in your area
Another great way to connect with neighbors is to lend a hand to someone who could use some help or support with something. It could be helping an older neighbor with groceries or shoveling snow from a neighboring driveway. Selfless acts of kindness go a long way, they will show your neighbors that you are friendly, and they can count on you.
Once again timebank communities also come in handy here. Sometimes you may just want to lend a hand randomly for example you see your neighbor emptying his or her garage and you can wonder over and offer your help. At the same time, if you are a member of a time bank, you can ask your neighbor if he/she is also a member. If not, this may be a great way to have something in common and get your neighbor involved.
Ask for help when you need it
As well as helping others, don’t be afraid to ask for help yourself if you need it! Most people are happy to lend a hand to a neighbor in need. This may include asking your neighbor to collect your mail whilst you are out of town or asking to borrow some tools or cooking ingredients. Always return the favor and show gratitude when they do help you out.
Time banks are also handy when asking for help. For instance, the Nomos app has an option on it to 'receive' help. You can use time swapping as a currency and advertise to people in your neighborhood or area the chance for them to help you and earn time credits.
Spend time outdoors and be social with those around your neighborhood
If you never leave the house, you are never going to meet anyone new. Make an effort to get outside, go for a walk or spend time in your neighbourhood's common areas. Greet people warmly and chances are you will get a thoughtful response in return.
Moving neighbourhoods can be a scary process but it doesn’t have to be. Networking and getting to know your new neighbors can make the move much easier. Even if the people living next door don’t end up becoming lifelong friends, it is always helpful to have friendly acquaintances nearby. Remember to always be approachable and allow relationships to progress naturally.
Many of these concepts can use the Nomos app
Meeting neighbors is so much easier if you have a time bank community with a convenient app that helps you to connect with others. The Nomos app can help you if you are looking for an easy-to-use way to keep track of time, offer help, receive help, offer experiences, or search for experiences. You can even use the app to borrow items.
There are fun milestones to encourage you to reach a certain number of hours, and the app will keep track of all hours paid and earned within your timebank community. It is the perfect way to offer help and receive help from people in your neighborhood, and when you connect, you will effectively be meeting new people in your area!