Living in a bustling city can make it tough for one to enjoy a quiet and peaceful life, due to the constantly active and noisy urban environment. Plus, when it comes to apartment living, even the noise from the neighboring units and the corridors can cause significant disturbance. Fortunately, there are a few simple apartment soundproofing ideas that can help one find peace without the need for any major renovations.
1) Identify the Weak Spots
To make an apartment quieter, one should first identify its weak spots, which let in most of the outside noise. These can be holes, gaps, or even cracks in the walls. Sometimes, even closed windows and doors can hide such spots that let in a lot of noise. Those who find themselves especially annoyed by the sound from their upstairs neighbors might also have a weak ceiling. Once these weak points have been identified, one can start planning their next move, which would be to cover them.
2) Install Soundproofing Curtains
One of the best and simplest noise reduction techniques is to install heavy, soundproofing curtains on the windows. Because of the way these curtains are designed, they can absorb a lot of sound. So make the most of this purchase, and hang these curtains on windows that open to streets or hallways. It would be even better if one could find drapes with multiple layers of fabric, since they will work better in blocking the sounds.
3) Add Rugs and Carpets
Covering the floor with rugs and carpets may not directly filter the sound from outside, but they can definitely dampen it. They will also help minimize indoor noise, which further adds to the peace. Not to mention, adding a nice, plush rug on the floor will also transform the look of the room for the better. Like with curtains, consider choosing thicker rugs, preferably with a high-density foam pad under them.
4) Add More Fabric to the Room
There can be a lot of scope for adding more fabric to the room besides curtains and rugs. For starters, if one has hard furniture in their apartment, one can consider switching it for upholstered furniture. Upholstering current furniture is also a viable option, if the design of the chairs and benches allows for it. If one does not want to make changes to one’s furniture, one can also consider adding throw pillows and thick blankets to the beds and couches. The extra layer of cushions and covers will basically add more padding in the room to dampen out the sounds. It is an effective hack to make the apartment more peaceful.
5) Rearrange the Furniture
A clever way of reducing neighbor sounds without spending a single buck is smartly rearranging the furniture. The idea is to shift larger, heavier furniture towards the walls shared with the neighboring apartments. These pieces of furniture will essentially create a thicker layer for the sound to pass through, eventually blocking most of it. Wardrobes would be the most suitable option for this, and even a cushioned sofa can do the trick if placed correctly.
6) Add Bookshelves
A ceiling-to-floor bookshelf installed against the wall, filled with books, is basically like an extra wall. It will be extremely difficult for the sound from the other side of the wall to pass through this setup and leak into the apartment. Plus, the more tightly packed the shelves are, the better they can absorb and block sound. It also helps that, in addition to reducing noise, bookshelves will add a functional and aesthetic touch to the room.
7) Invest in a White Noise Machine
Using a white noise machine can prove to be a game-changer when it comes to managing urban noise. These devices do not block incoming noises. Rather, they produce consistent background sounds, like soft static, rainfall, or ocean waves, that help mask the disruptive noises. White noise machines are especially useful during sleep and work hours or simply for creating a comfortable environment in an otherwise noisy neighborhood.
8) Seal the Doors
The gaps between the door and the floor can also be a major entry point for unwanted noise. To block this out, one can use weatherstripping tape around the door frame and a door sweep at the bottom. For better home sound insulation, one can also invest in an acoustical seal kit, which is specifically designed to close all those tiny spaces around the door.
9) Install Acoustic Panels
Making apartment acoustic fixes for dampening outdoor sounds becomes much easier with acoustic panels. These are basically fabric-covered boards that one can install on the walls or the ceiling. Not only will these suppress the outdoor sounds, but they will also reduce echoes and indoor noise. This is also why acoustic panels are mainly used in home theaters and home studios.
10) Get Window Inserts
Window inserts are simple glass panes with soundproofing qualities that can be installed as an additional layer on the windows. What’s even better is that installing them does not require making any changes to the existing windows. Nor does one require any adhesives. The inserts come with silicone compression tubing, which can be attached to the windows by pressing them against the frame.
