Hand-me-downs, carpooling, peer-to-peer borrowing, reselling – they’re not new ideas.

They’re a practical solution to over-consumption and have been for generations.

But in recent years and with the development of apps and online communities, it’s now easier than ever to get involved in the sharing economy, both as a supplier and a user.

While, like most industries, it’s still based on consumerism, the sharing economy has developed to give us all more freedom of choice and to allow people to share – and make money from – our resources.

Sure, people make good money by letting out their annexes on Airbnb or using FatLama for the rental of equipment but, in doing so, they’re helping us minimalists to maintain our fuss-free lifestyles.

Plus, there are plenty of free borrowing options out there – think community sheds with tools that locals can use or micro libraries in telephone boxes. Schwopping, stooping/curb mining, freecycling. The list goes on.

We don’t have to physically own something in order to use or enjoy it. These sharing communities allow us to keep our homes clutter-free and save money on the initial outlay of owning physical items.

For example, our local library not only lets borrowers take home books, films, music and audiobooks as you’d expect but it also offers sports and exercise equipment along with the training to use it correctly. I can access ebooks and e-audiobooks through the Libby app, plus newspapers and magazines through the linked Pressreader app. Community meet-ups are held in the building and I’ve accessed support groups via Zoom. At the library, there’s almost everything I need for my mind, body and wellbeing – all for free and without me needing to physically own anything to enjoy it.

With the cost of living a constant shadow over our shoulders, along with a deeper awareness of our environmental impact and a desire for less waste, it’s perhaps unsurprising that people are more conscious of their spending, with a drive for owning less ‘stuff’ and a call for more minimalist living. With that in mind, collaborative consumption could offer an interesting alternative.

Rebecca Thair (2023)

All the borrowing options available through the sharing economy make the process of getting rid of our possessions easier. As we embark on our minimalist journey, we can feel more confident about letting go of items, safe in the knowledge that there will be a way to access the items again at a low cost or free if we ever find ourselves needing them again in the future.

In terms of saving money, the sharing economy allows us to:

• Start up businesses without massive investment; co-working spaces or ‘hot desking’ in community hubs give us a place to work, any specialist equipment can be rented from peer lenders.
• Go on holidays; car hire allows us self-drive to quirky private holiday lets or we can rent campervans, boats and bikes for an active adventure. We can learn languages through apps with a shared family plan and borrow photographic gear to capture those memories.
• Entertain ourselves clutter-free; aside from library borrowing, we can swap books and games with friends and, of course, rent any movie we want to watch for just a few pounds from digital download sites.
• Update our wardrobe; while donating to charity shops we can browse for low-cost new-to-us items, we can schwop clothes with others, we can rent something special for that big occasion and even get married in a dress we’ve hired.
• That DIY project? The tools we need can be borrowed from community tool banks, we can source leftover materials on Freecycle and can rent specialist equipment.

Pretty much anything that we want to do or need to use, we can figure out a way to get it without having to physically own it, thereby saving us money and space in our properties. The growth of suppliers, websites and apps to support the sharing economy has made the process so simple. Making it easier than ever to embrace minimalism.

Thair, R. (2023) The sharing economy: What is it and what can it teach us about the future of consumerism? [online]. [Accessed 24th August 2024]. Available from: https://happiful.com/the-sharing-economy-what-is-it-and-what-can-it-teach-us-about-the-future-of-consumerism