Even though some people don’t have neighbours, or at least don’t see them very often because they live in the middle of nowhere, most people do have them. Most likely, you are one of them. People will live on both sides of you, across the street, and if you live in a flat, they may also live above and below you.
We don’t talk to these people very often. We might say hello or give a friendly wave when we see them, but we don’t take the time to get to know them. We’re all busy and just want to get on with our lives, so this is normal.
But getting to know your neighbours has a lot of benefits, so it might be worth your time to try. Find out what these benefits are by reading on.
Photo by Skitterphoto
Security
We should all put a lot of thought into making sure our homes are safe. Burglars are always looking for ways to break into houses and take what doesn’t belong to them. You should do everything you can to keep your property as safe as possible. This could include things like: motion detector lights, more locks, video doorbell, and keeping things clean and organised (so the house looks lived in).
You can also ask your neighbours for help, in addition to these ideas. You can ask them to check on things for you if you’re going to be gone for a long time or if you think you saw someone strange on the street. Then, if they leave, you can do the same for them. When neighbours know and can count on each other like this, the whole neighbourhood is a lot safer.
Friendships
Study after study has shown that having friends is good for our health. It keeps you from being alone, which can cause depression, and it’s nice to have someone to talk to (which relieves stress). When you have friends, you might also be more physically fit because you’ll have someone to go for walks or runs with or find a gym buddy.
It’s not always easy to make friends as an adult, but if you have neighbours, you might already have friends waiting for you. Of course, you won’t be able to hang out with all of your neighbours, but even if you make just one new friend by getting to know them, that’s a good thing.
Recommendations
It’s inevitable that everyone, no matter where they call home, will require assistance from others at some point. It could be that you require the services of a plumber, electrician, gardener, housekeeper, or any number of other professionals. It can be difficult to get reliable assistance because there are so many options out there, each with their own pros and cons.
You can trust the advice of your friends and neighbours on matters like this. You won’t get the contact information for someone who did a poor job from them.