Whether you’re a college student, a new professional, or other awesome adult, it’s no surprise you’ve taken to apartment living–apartments have actually become the housing of choice among millennials.

Apartment housing is an undeniably awesome option; you have a landlord to replace your fridge when it breaks, you don’t pay property taxes. The perks are endless!

One of the other major perks of living in an apartment is that you get to share your complex with neighbors. You’ll always have a friend around.

If you’re feeling a little anxious about the idea of sharing walls with neighbors, fear not! Here are 5 of our top tips to help you be a good neighbor in your apartment complex.

1. Be Outgoing & Friendly

This first tip is one most of us could stand to improve when it comes to the day-to-day of our lives. It’s easy to walk with your head down and to mind your own business–but if your goal is to be a great neighbor, you’ll have to be a little more outgoing and friendly!

We’ve all had that awkward experience–the one where too much time has passed without two people exchanging greetings or smiles for it to not be…weird when one person decides to. But the good news is that, when it comes to being a good neighbor, you can skip the awkward and go straight to the friendly.

Take the time to greet neighbors when you pass them in the halls. Smile, say hello, consider introducing yourself. By establishing a friendly presence from the start, you prepare the lines of communication between yourself and your neighbors to be wide open and friendly.

Chances are, you’ll thank yourself somewhere down the line for being outgoing and friendly from the get-go.

2. Be Up-Front

There may be nothing worse than experiencing crowds or loud noises when you aren’t prepared for them. Imagine coming home from a long day at work and being surprised to find your home filled with noisy strangers who won’t be leaving anytime soon!

When it comes to apartment living, you have your own space, of course. But when it comes to the common areas of your building and those paper-thin walls you share with next-door neighbors, it’s sort of like everyone in your apartment complex is sharing the same house.

With this in mind, remember that it’s important to be up-front with your neighbors any time they might expect a bit of extra noise or more bustle around their home. Knock on neighbors’ doors to let them know in advance if you’re planning a party or if you’re expecting guests.

Being up-front with your neighbors about potential disruptions lets them know you’re considering them and their needs. It lets them know that you’re respectful of their space and that you value their convenience.

Plus, if you’re honest and up-front with your neighbors about any inconveniences to them, they’re much more likely to return the favor!

3. Handle Issues Respectfully

Many (who are we kidding? most!) of us struggle with confrontation and conflict management. Especially when it comes to neighbors you don’t know all that well, it can be tough to handle issues that arise in your apartment complex.

It’s important, however, to confront all issues to handle them with respect.

Often, when people live in close quarters, as they typically do in apartment complexes, several different issues arise. Sometimes issues have to do with noise levels, such as a neighbor’s volume when entering and exiting the complex, or the excess noise from a neighbor’s guests at an unreasonable hour.

Other times, conflict may come from things like general disregard for common spaces, like dumpsters, hallways, or parking lots.

When conflict does arise, it’s okay (and important!) to handle it. Do your best to confront the situation and all involved neighbors in-person. Avoid leaving passive aggressive notes or making other passive aggressive moves. Knock on your neighbor’s door and respectfully explain the situation and your proposed solution.

When handling conflict, it’s important to keep in mind the fact that you’ll likely continue to live next door to the neighbors you’re confronting until the end of your lease term.

Be calm and respectful.

If issues continue after you’ve calmly addressed and communicated with neighbors on the subject of your problem, consider taking the issue to your landlord for further action.

4. Respect Common Areas

While most apartment complexes are sectioned off into individual units that require little necessary interaction with neighbors, there are usually some common spaces that all residents of the complex share. When it comes to these spaces, it’s important to be extra-respectful of your fellow residents.

We’re talking about spaces like a shared laundry room (fun times, right?!), your complex’s hallways, its dumpsters, and its parking lot.

It’s really important when it comes to common areas that are shared by your whole community, for you to be consistently respectful of the space. Follow any obvious etiquette, like parking inside the lines of your own allotted space, or breaking down boxes before they’re thrown away.

In regards to common areas, keep in mind the fact that you aren’t the only one affected by the way these spaces are treated–the impact of these spaces even goes beyond your next-door, upstairs, and downstairs neighbors!

Respecting common areas in your apartment complex is the best way to be a good neighbor to the biggest amount of people.

5. Go Out of Your Way

If you’re looking for ways to be a truly stellar neighbor, you’ll need to go above and beyond. Consider going out of your way for your neighbors, asking questions, offering services, and even bringing treats by!

If you notice your neighbor walking her dog, let her know you’d be willing to pet-sit if she ever needs to go out of town. If you notice your neighbor seems to be struggling with school, work, or something else, consider baking him a treat or writing a note to help lift his spirits.

One of the best ways to prove yourself as a good neighbor is to go out of your way to show how much you care.

Establishing a personal relationship with your neighbors will help keep the lines of communication in your complex wide open–and it’ll help your apartment feel that much more like home, since you’ll be surrounded by friends and people who know you care.

Want More Tips on Living in an Apartment?

Living in an apartment can be incredibly freeing and exciting, but some parts of apartment life can also seem a little scary or confusing.

If you’re looking for more useful tips on being a good neighbor or living in an apartment, check out our page!