There is a closet in my home office filled from floor to ceiling with stuff I don’t use but won’t get rid of. My collection includes guitar cases, hundreds of books, framed artwork, old computers, some fishing line and a thousand or so other items I’ve forgotten about.
Most of this stuff is junk. Some of it is useful (to someone). A couple of items may even be valuable — and that’s just one closet. Americans alone have so much stuff, we need 2.3 billion extra square feet of space in the form of storage units just to house it all.
To the rescue comes the sharing economy with businesses popping up by the thousands trying to stake out territory in a market that could be worth upwards of $26 billion. A recent report from Neilsen shows 68% of people are willing to share their assets for financial gain. In short, the sharing economy is making us feel better about our excesses in a culturally acceptable way…with cash.
The sharing economy is making us feel better about our excesses in a culturally acceptable way…with cash.
And yes, I am beginning to feel better about having a crap ton more stuff than anyone in his or her right mind could ever need. Because now, I can share (ie. sell or rent) everything from my old books to leftover food. And frankly, sharing all this stuff makes me feel better about having too much of it.
Remember when I mentioned my overpacked closet full of random stuff I don’t use? Yerdle can handle that and much more. You see, I’m feeling better already.
If you’ve got an extra car on hand (and really, who doesn’t?), why not rent it out with GetAround?
In helping to further define “first world problems,” RipeNearMe turns your excess home-grown produce “into subscribe-able resources and improves the share-ability of vegetables and fruits.” However, in a bizarre real-life example of actual sharing, RipeNearMe will allow growers to “sell” their extras for free.” Good for them.
Outdoor gear? Oh, I’ve got a garage full of it. Want to know the last time I actually used one or both of my uber-lightweith fiberglass kayak paddles? It’s been a while OK, but luckily GearCommons is here to help by making outdoor gear “sharing” a reality.
If you find yourself in desperate need of a paddle board, but forgot yours at home — unbelivably the internet has come to your rescue with Spinlister — a service what will connect you with some guy in town who has an extra one on hand. They’re better known for facilitating private bike rentals, but they do paddle boards, surfboards and snowboards too.
If you’ve got more wifi than you know what do with, why not share it? Fon allows its members to “share a bit of their home WiFi, and in turn get free access at millions of other Fon hotspots worldwide.”
When you accidentally make dinner for 5 and there are only two of you. EatWith connects hungry people with home cooks around the world.
If you find yourself worrying about having too many outfits and not enough occasions to where them for, Poshmark may be for you. The company allows women to “shop the closets of women across America and sell yours too!”
We love our SUVs in America, but seriously who can fill every one of those nine seats? Not many of us. Thankfully you can share those empty seats with BlaBlaCar.
I saved the best for last. It’s simple — donate selflessly for the benefit of others. Do it locally, do it globally, do it with your place of worship or a trusted charity. Just do it. Here’s a great guide from the Charity Navigator to help.
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