Anonymous wrote:It's just the way some houses are built. I was the upstairs neighbor and would get texts from downstairs. My kids were asleep, tv volume was low, and all I was doing was getting a cup of tea or straightening up. We had rug pads and rugs on top of wall to wall carpet. My kids were light sleepers so I was being intentionally quiet. I felt awful but it really had to just be the way it was built. I hated apartment and townhouse life.

I lived in a duplex at one time, built in the 70s, I swear it was designed to amplify sound. When I got my house, built in 1910, I was surprised to discover during a remodel that the 1st floor ceiling was fully insulated, temp control may have been the reason but dropping a small object on the stairs does not reverberate like a bowling alley.

I used to live on the 10th floor of a 40 floor building. Every so often, I would hear a sound that can best be described as that of a container of marbles being spilled across a hardwood floor on the floor above my apartment — except every apartment had thick carpeting and we generally didn’t hear our neighbors. I never figured out what the sound was.

When my twins were infants, I’d pick up sounds on the baby monitor (didn’t have a camera) that sounded like someone opening and closing the dresser drawers in the nursery. They were too little to get out of their cribs and when I’d check their room, they’d be sound asleep. We never figured out the source of that sound either, so dh and I would joke that the kids were packing up their onesies and going on a vacation without us.

TL/DR Your upstairs neighbors might not be doing anything loud even though you hear noise.

If they are like my neighbors, they are practicing their bowling while also pacing for hours at a time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You made the choice to live in a multi story apartment or condo. Other options existed, you picked this one.

Agree.

Not everyone can afford to live in a detached home.

Basically people live where they can afford to live.

I agree…

8PM is not late enough - I would say ideally between 10PM-8AM.

Friend’s parents emigrated from Morocco. The mom mops the floors.

Every. Damn. Day.

Anonymous wrote:8pm to 8am is quite the stretch. Are you sleeping that whole time, OP?

Agreed. Quiet hours for our apartment are 10-7.

OP, get some noise-canceling headphones and/or a white noise machine and MYOB.

I understand, OP. DH and I are pretty mindful of noise during sleeping hours. My older child needs frequent reminding but does receive those reminders promptly.

8pm to 8am is quite the stretch. Are you sleeping that whole time, OP?

I accidentally dropped a tissue box (a full one, but still a tissue box) on my floor today, and the bang it made was SO LOUD. I’m sure my downstairs neighbors wondered what the heck we’re doing up here. But we’re just living and doing normal things.

It's just the way some houses are built. I was the upstairs neighbor and would get texts from downstairs. My kids were asleep, tv volume was low, and all I was doing was getting a cup of tea or straightening up. We had rug pads and rugs on top of wall to wall carpet. My kids were light sleepers so I was being intentionally quiet. I felt awful but it really had to just be the way it was built. I hated apartment and townhouse life.

Anonymous wrote:You made the choice to live in a multi story apartment or condo. Other options existed, you picked this one.

Agree.

You made the choice to live in a multi story apartment or condo. Other options existed, you picked this one.

Isn't it common courtesy to be mindful of commoners who live below you? Why would anyone not be mindful of that, specially from 8PM to 8AM? This is such a small deed to make world a little tolerable for others, everyone can do it.

Just add some rugs, don't drag stuff and don't stomp feet. Thank you to all of you up there. You too God, keep thunder to a minimum.