Quiet Down!
What can you do when your home is too noisy?
With 2020 came the new trend of working and schooling at home. What did this mean for many folks? It meant having to deal with a lot of noise. Dealing with those conference calls can be tricky when it comes to sharing your workspace with children, spouses, pets, and neighborhood hustle and bustle. So, what can we do to help give us the peace and quiet we so desperately need?
Noise reduction methods can be as low as adding a $50 weatherstrip to the bottom of doors, or as high as a few thousand dollars to soundproof a room.
Here are some things you can do to lessen the “loud” in your home:
Cover the harder surfaces: those kitchen islands, countertops, and tabletops can be great spaces, until the nearby noise bounces off of the hard surfaces causing an endless “echo” of sound. A great solution? Place cannisters, spice racks, candles, placemats, and small decor items on top of these surfaces, to lessen the “bounce”.
Reduce echoes in open floor plans: the trend has been “open space concept”…until your open space becomes everyone’s space, and a multitude of sounds, clangs, and bangs hitting your ears from all directions. So what’s a good solution? Bookcases, shelving, tv stands, and end tables can lessen the impact of the echo. When you have little furniture against the walls, the noise from outside and inside will be a continual problem. You don’t need a lot of furniture. One piece along the longest wall in your room should suffice. Think - larger dresser along the bedroom wall directly across from the bed.
Helpful tips you can add throughout your home:
Seal doors and windows. Pick up soundproofing acoustic door sealing kits from your local hardware store. These will fit around doors or window edges to reduce sound coming through cracks. (not to mention keeping critters out as well!)
Add sound-absorbing shades or drapes. Using a heavy fabric shade can help reduce noise, as well as indoor shutters. Drapes are making a comeback in 2021, so take advantage of this trend.
Add some green. Houseplants can help reduce noise. Even if you prefer artificial. Adding some plants to corners, and tabletops will help reduce the echoes.
Utilize a throw rug. Picking up a few throw rugs can greatly impact the noise reduction in your spaces. Especially in front of a tv, under a desk, in a playroom, and in a bathroom.
