Whether you're customizing a craft room, an office or just trying to enjoy a television show, cutting down noise from other spaces can be a challenge.If you work from home, that noise impacts your livelihood!

Reducing Excessive Noise Throughout Your Home

Noise travels freely through open spaces, then slips in under doors to ruin your concentration. Noise also works its way through the hollow spaces inside walls, around window gaps and through hollow core doors. Finally noise happily bounces around on hard surfaces.Soft furnishings, cloth wall hangings and fabric draperies can all help reduce noise in your home. Monitor appliances such as air conditioners, refrigerators and dishwashers for odd noises and get things checked out to make sure your appliances aren't in need of maintenance.As your appliances need replacing, review the manufacturers image

Sound-Proofing Your Home Office

There are a few adjustments you can make to your private space to make it easier to focus.

Noise From Outside

Sealing the Window With Acoustical Caulk

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If your space has a window and noise from traffic outside is troublesome, consider sealing the window with acoustical caulk. This product will dry and provide a flexible, sound deadening seal to your window. Then add a soft window covering including lined drapes, sheers and a pelmet or soft valance. Layers of fabric absorb sound.Soundproofing With Book Shelves

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On outside walls without windows, put up some bookcases! All of that paper will absorb plenty of vibration. If the outside noise is really bad, you can put sheets of foam rubber or foam such as that used behind vinyl siding behind the bookcases to absorb even more sound.

Noise From Inside

Shared walls can be problematic. If your housemates or neighbors can't keep the noise down, there are adjustments you can make to your decor that can cut down on the racket.

When In Doubt, Try Something Soft

There is the Old Fashion Wall Quilt

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Adding soft goods to shared walls will provide your space with a quick (and quiet) upgrade. If hanging quilts aren't your style, there are plenty of other beautiful fabrics you can use, from tapestries built for wall display to beautiful mandala fabric that can be custom cut to your space.This fabric can often be hemmed with fusible material and easily mounted to the wall. If you need more sound deadening, consider adding a thin sheet of foam rubber or an old blanket with double stick carpet tape. 

Noise From Below

Just Add a Rug

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Flooring can heavily impact how sound travels around your home. If you have carpet but still hear a lot of noise from below, add a rug to your working space. When it's time to replace the carpet, consider adding a heavier pad in your space.Remember that heat rises. If you go to the trouble to insulate the ceiling of the room below you for noise control, you may find your space much chillier that it used to be. You may need to supplement heat in your space if you insulate under your floor.

Noise From Above

Just a Little Bit of Foam

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If your upstairs neighbor is heavy-footed, there may not be much you can easily do to improve sound transference from their place to yours. You can add a layer of rigid foam insulation to your ceiling, but this will require adjusting any light fixtures in the ceiling and finishing sheetrock over your head. This may not be work you can do on your own.

Sound Reduction Paint

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A good first step may be to apply a layer of

Cutting Down On Distractions

It's said that every time your focus is broken, it takes an average of Consider Buying a White Noise Machine


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There are some simple techniques you can use to minimize distractions. Once you've gotten the noise under control, consider a white noise machine to block out background noises like traffic noises, the hum of a dishwasher or laundry room tools.

Recommended Product: Marpac Dohm-DS All-Natural White Noise Sound Machine

Give the Chatter App a TryIf white noise doesn't work for you, check out one of the chatter apps you can add to your phone. If you're working and a specific noise is drawing your focus, these apps can smooth out the distraction by surrounding you in a wash of chatter that has nothing to do with you. Many find it more effective than white noise.

Have a Good Pair of Noise Canceling Headphones


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A good pair of noise canceling headphones can also help you find a personal oasis of silence. They come in a variety of styles and prices, but all serve to insulate you from ambient noise.

Recommended Product: Sennheiser HD 202 II Professional Headphones

A Regular Ole' Timer


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Finally, use a timer. Sometimes distractions show up because our brains need a break. By setting a timer to let you know when it's time to take a breather, you can dive into your work, focus and produce like crazy, then enjoy a stretch, a walk, or some social media time.

Taking The First Step

Reducing the noise level in your home can be as simple as setting a bookcase along one wall or as complex as opening up the wall to properly insulate it.No matter what your long term goals are, there are simple steps you can take to make your living and working spaces quieter, more pleasant and more productive. Set a goal to make one change this week and give yourself an oasis of quiet where you can think, work, and relax.