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Kindness Counts: 5 Ways to Meet Your New Neighbors While Social Distancing

If you’ve just bought a new house and moved to a new neighborhood, you might like to meet your neighbors. Getting acquainted with them can help you feel more comfortable with your surroundings. Since you’ll need to continue to social distance due to the coronavirus, consider these socially distant ways to meet your new neighbors.

Leave a Note or Card

Leaving a welcome card or note in someone’s mailbox is a simple way to begin to establish a bond. Firstly, remember not to be overly formal or personal. Just try to be friendly in an appropriate way. You can also get creative, and make or purchase a colorful card that shows you’re open to new friendships.

Sit Outdoors and Relax

Spending time outside can improve your mood, reduce stress, lower your blood pressure, enhance creativity, boost your immune system and be good for your vision, among other benefits. If you love nature and need to relax, consider inviting your neighbors to sit outside with you. You can watch each other’s kids play while you have a nice chat about the weather or another topic. Show them your garden, and let any pets you may have spend time outside too. Further, being outside can be extremely helpful in keeping a distance and getting some fresh air.

Send a Kind Gift

Sending a gift can show warmth towards strangers. For example, try making treats such as brownies or oatmeal cookies, and wrap these in a box to take over. You can also buy baked goods from a favorite local bakery. Before bringing food, be sure to ask your neighbors if they have allergies or if they’re on a special diet such as vegan or vegetarian. Other than this, if you enjoy making arts and crafts, you can draw inspiring designs on mugs with a Sharpie to give away. Other gift ideas are a vase from a local pottery store, hand towels from Etsy online, a handmade wreath and more. You can also bring a gift for any pets they may have. This could be a pet-safe homemade treat, toy from the pet store or something else. When you give a gift, try to make it meaningful without getting overly personal since you don’t know each other yet.

Go for a Walk

Going for a walk is easy, budget-friendly and allows you to get some exercise. In fact, walking is a smart way to avoid excessive technology use for everyone. Additionally, it can reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease, improve balance and bone strength, and be helpful in managing conditions like diabetes and high cholesterol. Another major benefit is appreciating nature. Try taking your dogs for a walk while you talk about positive topics such as the weather, scenery or children.

Offer to Help with Something

Helping your neighbors with simple chores such as taking out the trash or picking up their clothes at the dry cleaners will probably make their lives a whole lot easier. Furthermore, if you have particular knowledge in something, such as computers, you can ask if they need their computer fixed or programmed. Plus, you have the opportunity to offer your valuable services for free. Being selfless can make you feel like a better person. Your neighbors will likely always remember how kind you were to them.

One of the simplest ways to meet someone from a distance is simply to wave and say hello. When meeting new people, remember not to allow shyness or even the coronavirus stand in your way. After all, you deserve to get to know each other, because you have the unique chance to make friends.

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Alex

Alex is the co-author of 100 Greatest Plays, 100 Greatest Cricketers, 100 Greatest Films and 100 Greatest Moments. He has written for a wide variety of publications including The Observer, The Sunday Times, The Daily Mail, The Guardian and The Telegraph.

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