Living in the city can be exciting, with so much to do and see. However, one of the downsides of living in apartments in Pretoria is that sometimes you have to deal with noisy neighbours or the noise of the city outside. 

If you are very sensitive to noise and need peace and quiet to read a book or sleep, here are some simple, cost-effective, and easy-to-implement solutions for reducing the noise in your apartment so you can get some rest.

Play Some Music

Playing music or leaving the TV on in the background can help drown out some of the sounds coming from outside. While this doesn’t provide a silent environment, it can at least give you a reprieve from noises you don’t want to hear. 

Choose some soothing music and let it play gently to drown out the noise from outside. Just be careful that your music is not so loud that you become a nuisance to others. A potential solution here is to wear earphones, as they are more effective at blocking out the noise from outside, especially if they have noise-cancelling technology.

White or Brown Noise

If you are not keen on playing music, white or brown noise can be highly effective at drowning out sounds from the outside and creating a soothing atmosphere. White or brown noise can also positively affect your brainwaves, enhancing concentration and relaxation. 

White noise is great for drawing out higher-pitched sounds like birds or sirens, while brown noise is excellent for drowning out deeper tones like the bass from your neighbour’s subwoofer.

You can play white or brown noise from a noise machine, which is relatively affordable when purchased from online stores like Takealot. Alternatively, you can use your cell phone to play continuous sounds. There are plenty of apps available for this. 

Alternatively, turning on a fan inside the room can create a soothing white noise that can drown out many outdoor sounds.

Earplugs

If playing other sounds is not to your liking, try using earplugs. Earplugs are relatively cheap to buy and can be found at most pharmacies. Simply insert the earplugs into your ears and enjoy the peace and quiet that they afford. 

While earplugs don’t necessarily block out all sounds, they can effectively reduce the intensity of unwanted noise and provide you with some reprieve.

Cosy Curtains and Carpets

One way to mitigate the noise from outside is to hang thick curtains over your windows. These can be quite effective at limiting the intensity of the sounds from outside. Having thick rugs or carpeting on the floor and other kinds of drapery can also be effective at absorbing sounds as they enter the room.

Speak To The Landlord

If you have particularly noisy neighbours and you feel that they are brazenly breaching the conduct rules for the apartment complex, you could try speaking to the landlord and asking them to intervene. 

However, making official noise complaints should be an absolute last resort, as you could end up making enemies with your neighbours and alienating yourself from the community. 

Where possible, try to live and let live, and apply some of the useful techniques described above. Hopefully, they will help you get some good rest.

Enjoy a vibrant and comfortable lifestyle at one of Live Easy’s apartments in Pretoria. Contact us now to enquire!