You can rent a heck of a lot more than just a car these days.

The sharing economy is powerful and renting is cheaper and easier than ever.

So next time you really want something, but it doesn’t adhere to The Rule of Threes, rent it! 

Sharing platforms

NextDoor is a private social network for connecting with your neighbors about anything—whether it’s finding a last-minute babysitter, planning a local event, or sharing safety tips. It’s a great place to start if you’re looking to borrow or rent something.

Omni is a duo storage and rental platform where you can store your items and earn money if they are rented out to others for short-term use.

Here are all the things you can rent:

Bicycles

SF, NYC, Chicago, full list of the whole world here.

Boats
Boat Setter, Get My Boat

Books
Borrow from your local library or on Amazon if you have Prime

Camping gear
Outdoors Geek, REI

Camping Van / RV
Escape Camper Vans, Outdoorsy

Cars
Getaround, Lyft, Maven, Uber, Zipcar

Catering supplies
Best to check out what’s local to you via Yelp.

Chickens
Rent the Chicken, Rent-a-chicken, RentACoop

Christmas trees
The tree is potted and goes back in the ground instead of in the dumpster. This article explains the process. Or better yet, skip the tree and decorate with wreaths and branches.

Clothing, fancy dresses, jewelry, and accessories
Rent The Runway, La Tote, maternity clothes too!

Costumes
Best to check out Yelp for local costume shops.

Dogs
Well, sort of—you can become a dog walker or sitter if you want to enjoy a dog once in a while. Dogvacay, Rover, Wag.

DVDs
haha jk.

Event venues
I’ve found cool venues with VenueBook (Chicago, DC, NYC, SF)  

Flowers and plants
Leon and George (SF).

Funeral caskets
Contact your local funeral home or consider a green burial.

Garden space
Look for local spots on Yelp.

Goats
Environmentally friendly way to clear land and prevent fires. City Grazing (SF), Rent A Goat, We Rent Goats

Home and garden equipment
HomeDepot

Hotels
HotelTonight is sweet for last minute deals.

Houses
For hosting guests or having parties Airbnb, VRBO

Kid toys
40% of the world’s toys are in the US, consider renting: Toys Trunk, Pley

Luggage
Rent Luggage Online

Motorcycles and ATVs
Eagle Rider

Music instruments
Your local Guitar Center or Rent My Instrument

Party supplies
Check out Yelp for local party stores.

Public spaces
Many parks can be reserved for groups for a small fee.

Sports equipment
See if your local Sports Basement has what you need.

I rented this Mercedes to take my husband, Ryan, up to Napa to see the Hot Sardines for his birthday. Normally I'd just get the closest/cheapest Zipcar but I knew I was going to write this blog post and decided to SPLURGE ($16.20/hour). Even if we spent the same amount on renting a car as we did on owning one (which we never do) the flexibility of car choice, never having to clean or maintain it, and the peace of mind of no surprises is totally worth it.

Did I miss anything?

Comment below and I will consider adding it!

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