4 Ways To Soundproof Your Apartment!

You finally were able to snag an apartment with the views of the city and conveniences you want. There’s one problem: it sounds like the tenant above you enjoys tap dancing… with their pet dinosaur… at midnight. If you’ve found unwelcome sounds are making your current living situation unbearable, don’t move! Instead, try these four tips to help reduce sound without breaking the bank!

1. Carpet Your High-Traffic Areas

Carpets absorb sound in multiple ways. They absorb both the sound of your neighbors and the sound of your footsteps while providing an element of accent décor and helping to define spaces. As a rule of thumb, keep your high-traffic areas at least 50% covered.

2. Hang Curtains

 Windows are the most common causes of outside sound issues in apartments! Whether it is slamming car doors, playing children or the sirens from emergency response vehicles, curtains can decrease the volume of outside sounds! Consider hanging your curtains in layers. Hang sheer curtains on the bottom layer with a heavy-material curtain on top. In addition to blocking sound, the multiple layers will help manage lighting and lower your energy use for heating and cooling!

3. Create Your Own Sound

A silent apartment makes outside sound seem that much louder. Are you not a fan of using the television as background noise? Create a playlist for every mood and let the tunes distract your ears. When it’s time to sleep, white noise machines, small fountains, fans, and other sleep aids can help you drift off to sleep and make your apartment feel like a personal oasis.

4. Decorate With Soundproofing In Mind

Like an empty glass, sound will bounce around your room until you fill it with something! Use your décor to serve dual purpose by implementing some of these ideas:

• Hang a wall of canvases to act as affordable acoustic tiles.
• Place plush décor like blankets and throw pillows on benches and window seats.
• Remove glass from picture frames hanging on the wall; the glass bounces sound around rather than absorbing it.
• Use a decorative room divider to absorb sounds in spaces like bedrooms, offices, and other spaces where quiet is necessary to maximize use.

Your home should be your escape from the world. If you find the outside world is invading your space with unwanted sounds, take a few steps to reclaim your peace!

Written by Tabitha Keese, Staff Writer, Modern Domestic, Founder of Shipwrecked on Fabulous Island Blog