Do you really need to own things you rarely use? One way to have a less cluttered space is to borrow (or rent) those things you seldom need.
Many of us do this already, on a limited scale:
- I borrow books and DVDs from my library - and some libraries also loan out tools, or cake pans.
- I borrow books from friends and relatives - and lend my books to them.
- My neighbor borrows my juicer (similar to this one); I borrowed her vacuum cleaner when mine was off being repaired.
- I've seen people borrow crutches, wheelchairs, and ladders on Freecycle. I've also seen a group of moms in the San Francisco area lend out warm clothes to those making once-a-winter trips to the mountains.
All sorts of things can be borrowed; besides the types of items already mentioned, there's camping equipment, costumes, electronics - and much more.
Some people decide to go beyond casual one-off borrowing and create sharing groups: neighborhood groups, workplace groups, school groups, church groups, etc. In these groups, all the members identify things they are willing to lend - so everyone knows what's available.
If you are considering going this route, you may want to buy - or borrow! - The Sharing Solution, published by Nolo Books. The book will walk you through questions to ask - like what happens if a borrowed item gets broken - so all members have a common understanding, and problems can be averted. Sample agreements are also provided, which you can use as a starting point.
(The book also goes beyond the scope of this blog, discussing how you might share transportation, housing, child care and more.)
fabulous idea! i'd heard about power tool "libraries" from ideal bite recently... and my aunt advised me when my son was born to start a babysitting pool with other parents: you get a point for each hour you take someone else's kids and turn them in when you need a sitter!
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