Cleaning off a patio

[aquabone1109]

Real classy with sweeping the garbage under the fence leaving it for someone else.

 

[Callie]

To the person who felt the need to point out everything little thing I might have handled wrong I just want to say I've grown up a lot since then. I'm still growing, and doing a lot of maturing. We all handle some things wrong. I'm a very non-confrontational person, and I think it deals with my anxiety. Maybe if I had known my neighbors, I would have talked to them first. I've never met them, and I honestly don't even know what they look like.

I didn't want them to get in trouble, I simply want the little to stop. I thought instead of causing tension by calling them out personally, someone else mentioned management could say they noticed it and maybe bring it to their attention. I also have nerves approaching neighbors after my experience at my last apartment with the crazy man. It was NOT a safe bet to approach someone who clearly had problems.

 

[MickeySP]

Exactly, I didn't know what was all in the leaves. I did pick up the cups using a plastic bag, but the small plastic from planting materials I was not digging thru a mess of wet leaves, cat litter and who knows what else. Also, I can't put leaves in a plastic bag, its against the law here. They require special paper bags, which I don't own as I don't have a yard.

The pumpkin was there before I cleaned my patio. I don't have neighbors on the otherside of the fence, its the parking lot. The fence is just like a balcony type fence, to keep people off.

My furniture I have tried cleaning off. The cat litter has gotten wet and caked on. I'll keep trying to scrub the table, but its gross. The chairs are wicker and the litter is in the wicker. Its patio furniture.

I already told the apartment complex that I brushed everything out and they said that was fine. I shouldn't be dealing with garbage and litter on my patio.

I kinda felt people were piling on until this comment. So you shouldn't but your neighbors should? I see a helicopter in your past, you need to admit you made a huge mistake. Go remove the cardboard and dispose of the trash you put on your neighbor. Please never buy a house because things that blow on your property are your responsibility. Heck neighborhood feuads have started over people blowing leaves back on someone's property.

To the person who felt the need to point out everything little thing I might have handled wrong I just want to say I've grown up a lot since then. I'm still growing, and doing a lot of maturing. We all handle some things wrong. I'm a very non-confrontational person, and I think it deals with my anxiety. Maybe if I had known my neighbors, I would have talked to them first. I've never met them, and I honestly don't even know what they look like.

I didn't want them to get in trouble, I simply want the little to stop. I thought instead of causing tension by calling them out personally, someone else mentioned management could say they noticed it and maybe bring it to their attention. I also have nerves approaching neighbors after my experience at my last apartment with the crazy man. It was NOT a safe bet to approach someone who clearly had problems.

I don't get this at all, it is better to sic management on your fellow tenant than bring it to their attention. Do you even know they know this is happening? Cats kick litter out of boxes constantly.

 

[SMD]

Honestly, this is no big deal, it's just adult life that everyone deals with. Spend an afternoon cleaning it up and get on with your day. If you truly are unable to keep your patio area clean, then I'd recommend moving to a 2nd or 3rd floor apartment where they only have a balcony and all the garbage and leaves will blow off by themselves.

And if you don't like leaves and things falling from balconies, just wait until someone's sink or toilet backs up and yours starts overflowing. That's life on the 1st floor.

 

[morgan98]

Exactly, I didn't know what was all in the leaves. I did pick up the cups using a plastic bag, but the small plastic from planting materials I was not digging thru a mess of wet leaves, cat litter and who knows what else. Also, I can't put leaves in a plastic bag, its against the law here. They require special paper bags, which I don't own as I don't have a yard.

The pumpkin was there before I cleaned my patio. I don't have neighbors on the otherside of the fence, its the parking lot. The fence is just like a balcony type fence, to keep people off.

My furniture I have tried cleaning off. The cat litter has gotten wet and caked on. I'll keep trying to scrub the table, but its gross. The chairs are wicker and the litter is in the wicker. Its patio furniture.

I already told the apartment complex that I brushed everything out and they said that was fine. I shouldn't be dealing with garbage and litter on my patio.

Not to pile on, but you would have been fine putting the leaves into a plastic bag this one time. They may not want you raking a huge large and placing the leaves in plastic, but for what you were doing it would have been okay. I mean did you think someone was going to arrest you for putting some leaves and some trash in a garbage bag?

 

[marlynnp]

Maybe if I had known my neighbors, I would have talked to them first. I've never met them, and I honestly don't even know what they look like.
.

I'll give you a hint.
They look like the people that answer the door when you knock on it...

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

To the person who felt the need to point out everything little thing I might have handled wrong I just want to say I've grown up a lot since then. I'm still growing, and doing a lot of maturing. We all handle some things wrong. I'm a very non-confrontational person, and I think it deals with my anxiety. Maybe if I had known my neighbors, I would have talked to them first. I've never met them, and I honestly don't even know what they look like.

I didn't want them to get in trouble, I simply want the little to stop. I thought instead of causing tension by calling them out personally, someone else mentioned management could say they noticed it and maybe bring it to their attention. I also have nerves approaching neighbors after my experience at my last apartment with the crazy man. It was NOT a safe bet to approach someone who clearly had problems.

So to ease your anxiety you went and told management to avoid tension? How is that avoiding tension, they are going to know it was you the neighbor below them and that will add tension. You know what you do if you don't know your neighbors, you can go upstairs to their door knock on it and wait for them to answer it and introduce yourself. Then you can explain why their cat litter is upsetting you because it's ruining your furniture even though they have no control over how much their cat messes around in the litter box (if they even have a cat.)

Honestly management would not notice cat litter out on the common area, and if they did they would have blamed you since you are on the first floor. More likely than not they will be told there was a complaint, and there aren't that many neighbors below them so they'll know its you.

 

[roseaster]

There is nothing "confrontational" about knocking on your neighbor's door and saying, "Hi, I'm Callie, I live in the apartment below you. I was sweeping up my patio and noticed that your cat has been kicking litter off your balcony. Unfortunately, it's landing on my wicker furniture and sticking in it. I was wondering if maybe you could cover the littler pan or put something down underneath it?"

Nice, friendly interaction.

What isn't nice and friendly is complaining to management who is going to go to your neighbors and say, "The tenant underneath you complained to us that your cat is kicking litter all over her patio furniture. You need to cover your litter pan or put something underneath it." This poor person or people just got in trouble for something they probably didn't even realize was happening.

Be honest, if you were Kicky Kitty's owner which would you prefer?

You went and tattled on someone for a mistake they, probably, unknowingly made, yet you purposely didn't care for your own property responsibly.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

So, basically the trash is coming from the balcony above you. Do you have access to the balcony above that one?

 

[wishesuponastar]

There is nothing "confrontational" about knocking on your neighbor's door and saying, "Hi, I'm Callie, I live in the apartment below you. I was sweeping up my patio and noticed that your cat has been kicking litter off your balcony. Unfortunately, it's landing on my wicker furniture and sticking in it. I was wondering if maybe you could cover the littler pan or put something down underneath it?"

Nice, friendly interaction.

What isn't nice and friendly is complaining to management who is going to go to your neighbors and say, "The tenant underneath you complained to us that your cat is kicking litter all over her patio furniture. You need to cover your litter pan or put something underneath it." This poor person or people just got in trouble for something they probably didn't even realize was happening.

Be honest, if you were Kicky Kitty's owner which would you prefer?

You went and tattled on someone for a mistake they, probably, unknowingly made, yet you purposely didn't care for your own property responsibly.

Your post is very helpful for what OP could have said to the neighbor. it may not be too late for OP to say something to the neighbor like you suggested. Maybe saying she didn't know who was responsible for the kitty litter falling on her patio furniture and tell them what Roseaster suggested.

I do agree that the OP could have handled disposing of the trash better but we all make mistakes and hopefully she will get out to the fence trash and clean that up better.

 

[NHdisneylover]

To the person who felt the need to point out everything little thing I might have handled wrong I just want to say I've grown up a lot since then. I'm still growing, and doing a lot of maturing. We all handle some things wrong. I'm a very non-confrontational person, and I think it deals with my anxiety. Maybe if I had known my neighbors, I would have talked to them first. I've never met them, and I honestly don't even know what they look like.

I didn't want them to get in trouble, I simply want the little to stop. I thought instead of causing tension by calling them out personally, someone else mentioned management could say they noticed it and maybe bring it to their attention. I also have nerves approaching neighbors after my experience at my last apartment with the crazy man. It was NOT a safe bet to approach someone who clearly had problems.

I am very sorry you took it as having "every little thing" pointed out--that was certainly not my intention. I simply see a pattern of behaviour which is probably increasing you social anxieties and reinforcing them and hoping to help you see it and break the pattern. A lot of times when we are in the midst of living something it can be hard to see the forest through the trees, so tp speak.

I am glad to hear that you have matured and grown in some ways and I hope you can find ways to handle your social anxieties which do not alienate your neighbors and co workers and in turn increase those anxieties. Do you see a therapist to help you work through your issues?

 

[Disney Doll]

I'm guessing that, as a romantic gesture, telling someone you'd like to kidnap them and confine them in a oversized pumpkin leaves something to be desired. And might explain why that pumpkin was tossed over the balcony.

LOL!!!!
Somewhere in this world there is someone for whom being confined in a large pumpkin would be the fulfillment of a long-held fantasy.

 

[Callie]

I am very sorry you took it as having "every little thing" pointed out--that was certainly not my intention. I simply see a pattern of behaviour which is probably increasing you social anxieties and reinforcing them and hoping to help you see it and break the pattern. A lot of times when we are in the midst of living something it can be hard to see the forest through the trees, so tp speak.

I am glad to hear that you have matured and grown in some ways and I hope you can find ways to handle your social anxieties which do not alienate your neighbors and co workers and in turn increase those anxieties. Do you see a therapist to help you work through your issues?

Yes I do. I don't have a problem making friends with co-workers, or in general. Its just when I have an issue I get anxiety because I don't like to upset people. It's gotten better.

I also have never heard of anyone leaving a litter box on the balcony before, but thats just me.