From seeing a friendly face in the hallway greeting you to being invited to a neighbor’s dinner party, it’s these small acts of kindness that improve the relationship and help you make new friends who happen to live next door! 

In this blog, we’ve gathered 22 ideas of small acts of kindness you can do for your neighbors that will definitely be much appreciated. Let’s have a look! 

• Bake some cookies or cupcakes
• Newborn baby?
• Send an anniversary card
• Help them carry their grocery bags
• Offer elderly to go shopping for them
• Add some coins to your neighbors’ about to expire parking meter
• No coins for the laundromat?
• Give them a bouquet or a plant
• Invite them to a volunteering event
• Offer to drive their kids to school or activities
• Host a gathering
• Give them holiday cards
• Get them a birthday present
• Give them a hand with the garden 
• Take their dog for a walk
• Extra portions? Share your food
• Sharing your skills
• DIY projects? Offer some help
• Babysitting
• Extra tickets to their favorite games or concerts
• Shovel their driveway in the winter
• Be the person who introduces new neighbors

‍

Start baking 

A batch of cookies or cupcakes can go a long way! They also make lovely treats for your neighbors, and to be fair, who doesn’t love some freshly baked, warm, gooey cookies? Whether you decide to make cookies, cupcakes, or a whole cake, you can go the extra mile and work on some DIY cute packaging to really take your gift to the next level. These ideas are a great way to get inspired and get started!

‍

Newborn baby?

Did your neighbors just have a baby? There’s no better way to say congratulations than a card and a small gift basket! In your basket, you can include flowers, onesies, blankets, teddy bears, even diapers! You can make it yourself if you’re the arts and crafts type, or you can opt for a pre-made one. You’ll find some great baby basket choices here.

‍

Wishing your neighbors a happy anniversary!

If it’s your neighbors’ wedding anniversary, wishing them the best for their special day is a small yet cute act of kindness. An anniversary card is great, but if you’d like to make their day even more special, why not get them a bottle of sparkling wine to celebrate? 

‍

Grocery shopping

Bumping to your neighbors in the hallway doesn’t just mean that you get the chance to say hi and chit-chat. It’s also a great opportunity to help them if they need it. Are they carrying a lot of shopping bags? Simply just grab a few and help your neighbors take them to their apartment. 

‍

Help seniors in your building

Are there seniors living in your building or your area? Sometimes they might have trouble going out grocery shopping or handling things around the house. Give them a call or knock on their door and ask them if they need help with anything or if they’d like you to grab a few items from the grocery store for them. 

‍

Parking meter about to expire?

If your neighbor’s car is parked at a spot where a parking meter is required, and it’s about to expire, add some coins to extend it. It won’t break the bank, and it will save your neighbor from a hefty ticket. 

‍

Not enough coins for the washing machine?

It has happened to all of us! Taking our laundry to the laundromat only to realize that we don’t have enough coins to wash and dry our clothes. If at some point you see one of your neighbors facing this problem and they’re about to go back home to get more coins, simply just give them some! 

‍

A plant for nature lovers

If you’re new to the neighborhood and would like to meet new people, getting them a plant or some freshly cut flowers is a great way to say hello and introduce yourself. Similarly, if there’s someone new in the building and you’d like to welcome them, plants make lovely gifts. If you’re unsure what kind of plant to get, this guide will help you in the decision-making process.

‍

Invitation to a volunteering event

Volunteering at local events and organizations is a great way to give back to the community and the neighborhood. Chances are that during volunteering events, you’ll meet people, make new friends, and get to know your neighbors. Inviting one of your neighbors to an upcoming volunteering event will definitely give you some time to bond and get to know each other better.

‍

Help your neighbors out with their kids 

If you have a relatively flexible schedule or if you’re working from home, ask your neighbors if they’d like some help with their kids. Offer to drive them to school, pick them up in the afternoon or drive them to the after-school activities. We bet they’ll appreciate your gesture and kindness, especially if they have a ton of other things to do. 

‍

Host a gathering

Hosting a small gathering is a great way to show your neighbors some love and to build your relationship further. Invite them over for brunch, dinner, or even wine and nibbles; the options are endless! If you’re lucky enough to have a patio or a garden, a BBQ is also an excellent idea. 

‍

Send out some holiday cards

When shopping for Christmas cards for your family and friends, why not grab a few extra ones to give to your neighbors? There’s no better way to wish them happy holidays than a cute card they can place on top of the fireplace or under the tree. You’ll find some great Christmas card ideas here.

‍

Birthday celebrations

Is your neighbor’s birthday coming up? Why not make their day by surprising them? You have quite a few options here:

• Surprise them with a birthday cake and candles
• Get them a small birthday present
• Send them a card
• Host a birthday party for them

‍

Gardening

Gardening can be quite tiring and time-consuming, especially when there are a lot of trees and plants to take care of. If your neighbor has a garden, they’re probably spending quite some time outside, maintaining it. So why not give them a hand? Every now and then, simply ask them if they need some help, or just put on your gardening gloves and head over there. They’ll definitely appreciate the help, and you’ll get to benefit from being outdoors and spending some time in a green space.

‍

Walking the dog

Are your neighbors swamped with work, chores, and grocery shopping? Maybe they don’t have enough time to walk their dog. If you’re feeling comfortable being around animals, offer to take the dog for a walk. It will give your neighbors more time to finish off any tasks they might be working on, and you’ll get to take a walk around the neighborhood. If there’s a dog park around the building, you can have a look around and maybe get to know other neighbors too. 

‍

Sharing food

Sharing is caring, and, let’s be honest, food is one of the greatest things to share! If you’ve made a couple of extra portions of a home-cooked meal, share them with your neighbors. It’s one of those small acts of kindness that truly gives happiness and pleasure to the receiver. 

‍

Sharing skills

Of course, food is a great thing to share, but how about skills and knowledge? Wouldn't it be nice if you could help your neighbor with a skill you have, and they don’t? Let’s assume your neighbor owns a local business, but he’s struggling to get around social media. If you’re familiar with the topic and know a thing or two about Instagram or Tik Tok, just share your thoughts and help them come up with a strategic plan. Your help will have a big impact on your neighbor’s business, and it won’t cost you anything!

‍

DIY home projects

Not everyone is good at DIY and home renovation projects; maybe you’re not that great either! That shouldn’t stop you from offering some help to your neighbor, who just bought new pieces of furniture. You might not be an expert, but you can definitely help with moving and carrying things around. If, on the other hand, you are a DIY enthusiast, you’ll have even more to offer. 

‍

Babysitting

Having a baby is a full-time job for parents, and they sometimes don’t have enough time to do activities they did in the past. Offering to babysit for a couple of hours will give your neighbors the chance to go out for a relaxing walk, have some lunch, or even a dinner date. 

‍

Extra tickets to a game or concert?

Going to a basketball game or a concert is so much fun, especially if it's your favorite team or singer. If you have an extra ticket, why not invite your neighbor? We’re pretty sure they’ll appreciate the gesture, and it can be a fun way to spend some time with your neighbor and get to know them a bit better. 

‍

Shoveling the driveway

We all know what our driveway looks like after a heavy winter snowstorm. We also know that shoveling the snow can be quite tedious and time-consuming. If you’ve started shoveling your driveway, why not remove the snow from theirs too? A small act of kindness that will definitely make them happy on a cold winter morning! 

‍

Be the person who introduces new neighbors

We’ve all experienced what it feels like to be the new kid on the block and how difficult it is sometimes to meet people around the neighborhood and make friends. The best act of kindness you can do is to be that person who introduces new people to the rest of the building. Be part of a community where people look out for each other and help each other out whenever possible. 

Getting to know people in your building is not always easy, but you can follow these tips for a great first impression. These 22 small acts of kindness we gathered for you will definitely help you improve your relationship with the neighbors, get closer, and become friends. Whether you choose to get them a birthday present or help them carry their grocery bags, they will definitely appreciate it and probably return the favor!