These days we are all so virtual that I often miss those real life interactions with people around us. I love my neighborhood and remember being so surprised and delighted when I first moved to Los Angeles 6 years ago when a new neighbor stopped over and brought figs from her tree as a welcome. It was so thoughtful and a true in-person connection that meant so much! Today, we’ve collaborated with State Farm to share a fun way to welcome a new neighbor…

According to the State of Neighbors survey conducted by State Farm, 75% of people say it is important to welcome new neighbors but only 41% of neighbors say they were actually welcomed! It can be so easy (and fun!) to welcome a new family to the neighborhood so today, we wanted to help you do just that with our pre-designed Neighborhood Guide template you can download. Include the guide with our inspiration for a "Welcome Neighbor" basket. Here's how…

To make a "Welcome Neighbor" gift basket, include a few local treats like:

    -apples from your tree

    -candy from a sweet shop nearby

    –coffee from the local cafe

    -herbs or fresh veggies from your garden

    –spreads or sauces from the area farmer's market

And then include our handy Neighborhood Guide [download here]. This template gives you a place to list a ton of helpful information for your new neighbor including: tips for where to go in the neighborhood, trustworthy service providers, social handles for the street and for your family, and a handy way to keep track of names of all the neighbors on the street.

Some other fun things you could give your new neighbor along with the Neighborhood Guide to welcome them:

    -order a pizza for the new family on moving day and tell them dinner is on its way and they don't have to worry about it!

    -a small plant that is easy to take care of (no one wants to have to stress about taking care of a fragile plant)!

    -a gift certificate for a cleaning service to come help them out for a couple hours after all the unpacking!

What other tips do you have to welcome new neighbors?

*This post is brought to you in collaboration with State Farm.  All words are my own.

{Photos by Casey Brodley, styling and crafting by Julia Wester, crafting by Jess Hong. Props include: Ikea basket, Anne and Kate swizzle sticks, Oh Happy Day wood cutlery, Oh Happy Day floral napkins, Oh Happy Day striped napkin.}