5+ ways to welcome new neighbors

My husband has been in the military for 21 years now. Needless to say, we have moved a lot. We are at our final duty station and where we plan to retire, so we bought a house.

I hope now that I will have more permanent neighbors, but living so close to Fort Hood many of our neighbors are only here 2-3 years. With that, I decided I needed to be a better neighbor by welcoming the new neighbors to our neighborhood.

One thing I have noticed over the years, with technology booming, is that neighbors aren’t really neighborly anymore. I’d like to think this is something that can be changed as many people don’t even know their neighbors despite living there for over a year.

So, here are some ways to introduce yourself to new neighbors and welcome them to the neighborhood.

Bring over a care package basket

Think about when you first moved into your house. Everything was boxed up and you more than likely had to run to the grocery store for things such as toilet paper, shampoo, conditioner, etc.. Gather up some of the essentials and place them in a basket and hand deliver them to your new neighbors.

Create a home essentials basket

Just like the care package basket, you could stock this one with cooking utensils, dish towels, wash clothes, paper plates, plastic silverware, etc… and hand deliver it to your new neighbors.

Home cooked meal

I tend to use caution on using this technique because you never know if your new neighbors may be allergic to certain ingredients or are following a certain diet. So use caution, and I would avoid delivering food items until you have met them and introduced yourself and let them know you would love to drop off a home-cooked meal for them.

Gift cards with a welcome card

A simple welcome to the neighborhood card with a personalized note and a gift card to a local restaurant is the perfect way to welcome new neighbors. I would personally also include a map of the area with streets (typically you can get this from your local are chamber of commerce).

Plants

Plants are usually always welcome into any home. Make sure to buy a plant that is non-toxic to both humans and pets.

A simple introduction

Even if you do not have the money to spend on a welcome gift, a simple introduction can go a long way. I like to write a little note welcoming them and also leave my name, address, and phone number. I also leave my husbands name.

I can’t remember how many times I have forgotten my neighbor’s names when we first met, so writing down your information will allow them to remember your name and which neighbor you are!

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