Hello Neighbor!

A few years after college I decided I was done with roommate drama and rented a cozy apartment all for myself. I decorated it the way I wanted and left dirty dishes in the sink for days. And when something broke, I called maintenance and let them worry about it. These days people rent a lot more than apartments, and nearly everything can be borrowed—so long as you remember to return it!

Here’s a small (mostly local!) sampling:

• Dress up. Launched by Philadelphia’s own Urban Outfitters, Nuuly lets you rent any six clothing items for $88 month, including drool-worthy pieces from Free People, Anthropologie and other brands. Once the month is up, buy anything you like and send the rest back.

• Cake walk. At Bryn Mawr’s Ludington Library you can rent specialty baking pans for your next culinary masterpiece (or Pinterest fail).

• Outdoors & more. REI now offers camping gear and even snowshoes for rent (thanks MainLine Neighbors subscriber Diana for the tip!)

• Car talk. Did you know the average car sits idle for 22 hours a day? Getaround allows car owners to rent out their vehicle to local drivers. Renters can book and unlock cars with their phone.

• Work it. WeWork offers five locations in Philly (choose from a private office, dedicated desk or “hot desk”), and Lifetime Fitness in Ardmore boasts ergonomic workspaces complete with healthy snacks and access to its nationwide network of 130 clubs.

• Sweet dreams. Slumber parties used to mean living rooms cluttered with dusty, mismatched LL Bean sleeping bags. Now you can rent dreamy, color-coordinated “sleepover kits” by mail. Kits include teepees, air mattresses, blankets, dreamcatchers, fairy lights and Ambien (just kidding).

Why buy?!?
Kate