Neighboring Tip of the Week - Borrow something, like a tool or a cake pan, from a neighbor.

Happy April!

Spring has sprung and with spring comes lots of projects. If you get to be in the middle of one of your projects and discover you need something you don’t already have, don’t head to the nearest store…head to a neighbor’s front door! (Yes, we realize that rhymed…)

If you’ve been following our neighboring tips, you may remember the tip from a few weeks ago on asking for a neighbor’s help with a spring project. This week’s tip is similar because it practices the discipline of borrowing, as well. This tip is also featured on the most recent episode of our podcast, “The Neighbor Next Door”. If you would like to gather more ideas or listen to us tell stories about our experiences with this tip, give this episode a listen on either iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or Google Play!

The idea for this tip originated from one of our own neighboring experiments. Catherine was working on a cake, a carrot cake to be exact. And of course, you need not one round pan, but two, to make a carrot cake (according to Catherine). As she had no round pans, her first instinct was to go buy them. She could have run to the nearest store, purchased one, and been home in fifteen minutes. But instead, she decided to intentionally practice the discipline of borrowing and ask her neighbors for help. She began by asking her newest neighbor - hoping this could be a good connection point and would let the neighbor know that borrowing is welcome. Success! Catherine had a cake pan, and the neighbor was happy to lend it in exchange for a slice of cake.

By deciding to borrow, Catherine was able to make a connection with a new neighbor and build social capital. So, instead of buying something you don’t have, borrow it! Of course, do be courteous, and return the item in a timely matter and in the same, or better, condition as when you borrowed it.

Depending on our neighbors for help is a vital piece of community.

Happy neighboring!