Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Ten on Tuesday



Today's Ten on Tuesday topic is a timely one for me -- 10 Ways to Welcome Someone New To Your Neighborhood. Our next door neighbors are selling their house, so we will be welcoming a new family to the neighborhood in the near future. After seeing the parade of prospective buyers looking at the house over the past several weeks I suggested to my neighbor that I should have approval of any buyers before the final papers get signed, but for some reason he didn't seem to like that idea. So, I guess I will just have to try some of these welcoming ideas.
  1. Introduce yourself (with some fresh-baked cookies) after the new neighbors have had a chance to settle in.
  2. Take them some food -- something that they can heat and eat if they haven't yet unpacked the kitchen or freeze for later. Lasagna, ziti, or casseroles have been big hits on our block. 
  3. Consider delivering the lasagna or casserole along with disposable plates, napkins, and utensils.
  4. Bake a welcome cake. This is a good one. 
  5. If you're not a cake baker, maybe muffins or some cinnamon rolls might be a good idea. I welcomed one of our neighbors with zucchini bread and now she demands it every year (in a friendly, neighborly way, of course).
  6. Gift them with a nice pot of cheery flowers, something to make the front porch look welcoming.
  7.  Prepare a list of useful neighborhood information -- emergency numbers, trash and recycling collection days, the good pizza places, coffee place, closest grocery store, doctors, dentists, libraries, the good mechanic ...
  8. Don't forget to include your own contact information along with pertinent neighborhood details.
  9. A bottle of wine is almost always a good idea to help deal with the stress of moving and unpacking.
  10. Let your new neighbors know that you're available if they want or need help (waiting for the cable guy or phone company, accepting UPS packages, etc.) but don't be a pest. 
I live in a neighborhood where we wave hello, chat a bit when we're shoveling or mowing, and occasionally enjoy a beer together on the front porch, but we don't intrude on each others' privacy.  Being a good neighbor can help make your neighborhood a peaceful and friendly place, and who wouldn't want to live there!

6 comments:

  1. Terrific list - I think we'd make great neighbors!

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  2. This is an awesome list! I would love to be your neighbor Bonny!

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  3. my old neighborhood was welcoming and I loved the effort that was done to make my new home be my home. I now live in a very secluded suburb and we are friendly wavers and if we are walking we stop and say 'hey'.

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  4. Great list, Bonny. Moving is so hard - and stressful! You will surely make your new neighbors welcome. (I hope you like 'em.) (My neighborhood is very . . . private. We wave and say hi. But it pretty much ends right there.) (And I'm okay with that!)

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  5. You are a very welcoming person and anyone would appreciate your efforts!

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  6. I'd love to move in next door to you...but you'd be pretty disappointed to move next to me - there wasn't anything about food on my list!

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Thank you for visiting and taking the time to comment! :-)