Welcoming your new neighbors to the area

See that moving truck next door? Looks like you have a new neighbor! Help welcome this person to the neighborhood with any of these ideas:

Introduce yourself
I know it can be awkward to break the ice, but introducing yourself is the first step to helping your neighbors feel more at ease. Say “hi” when you’re taking out the garbage or walking the dog. You can even greet them when they’re in the process of moving. If it’s a hot day, offer them a few cold bottles of water. But don’t linger – introduce yourself and let your new neighbors get back to moving. You’ll have time to chat once they get settled.

Send them a card
Making your new neighbors feel welcomed to the area can be as simple as sending them a card. This Bold Welcome card gets right to the point and clearly expresses your warm greeting. Write nice note inside, letting your neighbors know that you’re there if they ever need anything. If you really want to be helpful, jot down a few restaurants or local attractions that the newcomer may want to check out. If you really want to be neighbor of the year, you can include a gift card for a free meal, like this man did.

Bake a casserole
Food is the ultimate housewarming gift, and I’m guessing your new neighbor will be extremely grateful not to have to worry about making dinner when they’re getting their kitchen setup. All of their appliances will likely be in boxes, so consider whipping up your tastiest dish, and serving it to your neighbor in a disposable aluminum tray. This way, they won’t have to worry about returning a dish to you.

Put together an address book
One of the most frustrating parts about moving to a new area is that you don’t really know who to call when you need a good doctor, dentist, handyman, etc. You can help out your new neighbor by putting together an address book containing the phone numbers of other neighbors, local schools, government offices, doctors offices and other services. This simple gesture will be extremely helpful to them once they get settled.

Invite them to a get-together
If you’re having friends over for dinner or a cocktail party, throw your neighbor an invite. This is a great way to get to know them, and it won’t be awkward with a big group. Instead of leaving one of your party invitations on their doorstep, introduce yourself and extend an invitation face-to-face. This way, your neighbor might feel a bit more comfortable about stopping by.