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Wanting a single quiet day shouldn’t feel like an unreasonable request, yet that’s exactly the small, simple thing one woman finds herself craving after living beneath constantly active upstairs neighbors.

Both of her neighbors work from home, meaning the footsteps, movement, and unpredictable noise never really stop, a sensation she describes vividly as her head sitting inside a plastic bucket.

Even with a full collection of headphones and earplugs, nothing addresses the physical shaking that comes with the noise, and with a baby expected upstairs soon, she’s left desperately hoping for relief that doesn’t seem to be coming anytime soon.

You’ll want to keep reading for this one.

Cardboard ceilings

When my upstairs neighbours walk around, my entire apartment feels like my head sitting inside a plastic bucket with a kid hammering on it.

The noise is constant, but yet somehow still unpredictable.

Never quite sure about the force with which it will land. Never quite sure where. It gets me every step of their day.

There’s two, and they always work from home. There will be a baby coming in their near future.

I did my research, but the apartment was sold at the same time mine was bought, and there was just no way of knowing it would be like this.

This renter has tried and exhausted every option to drown out the noise, but she’s reaching her limit.

I have all the headphones. All the earplugs. But I can’t wear them all day every day. Also they don’t help with the shaking!

I have music and podcasts and hobbies and stuff to listen to, but I need quiet. Just sometimes. Just for like, one day.

Sigh.

Oh, the joys of renting.

What did Reddit have to say?

It’s time to start building a case if she wants her concerns to be taken seriously.

These upstairs neighbors are really showing their true colors.

One fellow renter shares what works for them when it comes to drowning out the noise.

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If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a frustrated tenant whose landlord says she can only move out with her roommate.

Sometimes the only solution is just moving out.

Sometimes there’s no fix to matters like these, just the slow wear of living with something you can’t control and can’t fully block out, no matter how many headphones or earplugs get thrown at the problem.

This renter did as much research as she could to make a reasonable choice, but none of that could have prepared her for this reality.

Maybe the best thing to do here would be just to cut her losses.

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Author

Benjamin Cottrell

Benjamin Cottrell | Assistant Editor, Internet Culture

Benjamin Cottrell is an Assistant Editor and contributing writer at TwistedSifter, specializing in internet culture, viral social dynamics, and the moral complexities of online communities. He brings a highly analytical, editorial voice to his reporting on workplace conflicts, malicious compliance, and interpersonal drama, with a specific focus on nuanced stories that lack an obvious villain.

As a published author of rhetorical criticism, Benjamin leverages his academic background in human communication to dissect and elevate viral social media threads. Instead of simply summarizing events, he provides readers with balanced, deep-dive commentary into why the internet reacts the way it does. In addition to his cultural reporting, he is an experienced fine art photography essayist and video game reviewer.

When he isn’t analyzing the latest viral debates, Benjamin is usually chipping away at his extensive video game backlog, hunting down the best new restaurants, or out exploring the city with a camera in hand.

Connect with Benjamin on Instagram and read more of his essays on Substack.