Soundproofing 101: How to Reduce Audibility in Your Rental

There are several reasons why you may need soundproofing tips and ideas. You can either try to reduce the noise coming from the outside or prevent the sounds from going out. 

We genuinely believe that our today’s guide will cover both situations so that everyone will find useful tricks and tips on apartment soundproofing. 

First of all, you’ve got to review what’s the current situation in your apartment: how many doors, windows, furniture pieces, and decor elements you have. The best way to kick off your soundproofing is to make an inventory of the noisiest spots in your rooms. We’ve got to know what we’re working with. Make a list of every place that seems to let in and out the noises into your beloved home. 

Usually, the most problematic spots are doors, windows, empty walls, and floors, etc. Here is the list of the essential soundproofing solutions that will help you forget about this issue in your rental.

Consider Getting More Furniture or Rearrange What You Have

As we’ve already mentioned, the number of furniture pieces and how you place them mean a lot. 

If you’re living the minimalist lifestyle like most of the millennials, you are most probably a victim of constant echo and noises wandering your apartment. This is when we have to bring you the bad news: you’ve got to get more furniture, minimalism doesn’t work well with the soundproofing. 

Getting soft furniture pieces like armchairs and sofas will definitely improve the situation. And if you already have enough furniture in your rooms, you can always rearrange everything more smartly. 

Try placing your furniture the way you can avoid having big and lonely empty spaces in the apartment. 

Get Thicker Rugs For Your Floors

Thick rugs are your best friends when it comes to soundproofing. They not only help you reduce the noise that you produce with your slippers, but they also do not let the sounds to reflect from the floors.

You can find decent rugs in any furniture and decor store like Pier 1, Houzz or Lowe’s. If you’re not a fan of classic rugs and want to go for a more exotic look — you can track down a custom-made carpet with a thickness, size, and pattern to your liking.

Hang Curtains in Every Room

Personally, I’m not a fan of curtains and prefer to use louvers. However, it will be fair to admit that they really make a difference when you’re trying to soundproof your house. 

The best thing about curtains is that they’re not only reducing the noise coming from the windows, but also reduce the light in your room. This will work great in your sleeping area. Studies show that people that use curtains tend to sleep better due to the reduced light and noise. 

However, there is something else you can do to reduce the noise from the streets.

Window Inserts to Block Noises From Outside

We’re talking about the window inserts. They’re small and fight tightly into your window frame-block. This trick significantly reduces the noise from the outside and are not expensive at all. 

We also recommend you trying out the window inserts when the winter kicks in. This way, you will not only soundproof your windows but will also reduce the cold by eliminating the heat leaks in the room.

Consider Getting a Bookcase for Wall Soundproofing

The bookcase can be considered one of the most useful things in interior design. It can be used as additional storage and also be a stylish element of the whole room interior. 

However, there is another thing that you may not know of — bookcases can help you soundproof the walls in your apartment. One wide bookcase will reduce the chances of sounds to be reflected off the wall. Therefore, your room will become more comfortable to live in.

Of course, buying a dozen bookcases is not an ultimate solution. You’ve got to consider this as one of the elements that create the big picture of the soundproof apartment. Use all of these tips together to create a room with less number of opportunities for the sounds to be spread.

Acoustic Panels Are Not An Ultimate Solution

People tend to think that acoustic panels can resolve the whole issue with the noise and sounds. However, this is more of an idea for those trying to build a home sound design studio. Acoustic panels can quickly stop the sounds from leaving your apartment. 

However, it’s not the best idea for you to put acoustic panels everywhere if you’re trying to avoid noises that come from the outside. 

If you’re struggling with one of the room walls and you have no idea what else to put there to stop sounds from being reflected — try acoustic panels on that wall. But let’s face it, they do not look like the most stylish interior design elements, right?

Replace Your Door or Seal Up Existing One

Some doors are empty inside and, therefore, every tinies noise from the outside will get into your apartment in seconds. This problem requires a complex solution, and you have two options to choose from:

• You can either seal up your doors by taking them to the specialist to fill them with the soundproof materials inside
• Or simply buy a new door that will be soundproof out of the box

The first solution will cost less, but still not cheap at all. However, once you fix the door issue, you will be surprised how this will change your room to the best.

Use Earbuds to Soundproof Your Sleep

Are you bothered by the sleeping disorder or simply do not like to sleep when some noises are distracting you? Then earbuds maybe your best solution. 

Let’s face it, you can soundproof your apartment as long as you want, but these little things that will not only fix your sleep, but they will also be a cheaper soundproofing option.

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