Get Paid to Rent Your Stuff: 62 Ideas to Try

You probably have plenty of things lying around that you only use once in a while. Why not put these to work and get paid to rent your stuff?

Help other people who need to use these things but plan on only using them once or simply can’t afford to buy them.

At the same time, you maximize the use of your items and make it less likely that it ends up in the landfill.

Of course, the potential for side cash is a good perk, too.

Here is a list of things you can lease to others to earn some side cash as well as some apps you can use to make the process easier.

50 Things You Can Rent Out for Extra Cash

RENT OUT YOUR REAL ESTATE

1. House

This is the most common of all rentals, and I talked quite a bit about the Airbnb era and how to rent your house out either on a short-term or long-term basis.

If your house is in a vacation hotspot, such as a lakeside cabin or a beach house, you can also register it through VRBO.

2. Extra room

Don’t waste that real estate you got lying around.

If you’re willing to rearrange your living arrangements, rent out your extra room to people who might need a place temporarily.

3. Garage

Sometimes, people need an extra garage to park their cars for less than city or condo rates.

You can also rent out your garage for those who need extra space for storing stuff.

In this case, you can list your garage on websites like STOW IT.

4. Garden, Yard, or Other Outdoor Spaces

If you’re lucky to have a massive backyard or garden, you can have it rented for events like weddings.

Those who are willing to commit more to this rental can even turn the outdoor space into “glamping” (glamorous camping).

Check out this site if you’re willing to list your land, backyard, or outdoor accommodations such as treehouses, yurts, or teepees.

5. Piano room

Professional piano retailers often have programs that allow clients to rent out the piano first, so they’d discover if the piano student can last longer than a couple of months of practicing.

If you have a grand piano or keyboard lying around, copy this genius marketing trick and offer your piano room for rent.

6. Recording studio

Follows the same concept as the piano room, except your music room is complete with more instruments and recording equipment.

If you don’t know how to price this room, check with local recording studios and price your listing cheaper than “market” prices.

7. Portable playground

Did your kids graduate from their inflatable playgrounds or giant Little Tikes toys?

If so, you can make a new generation of kids happy by renting these out to other families.

8. Parking space, empty lot, boat slip

Sometimes, people need an extra parking space or empty lot to park their cars less expensively than city or condo rates.

This also goes for boat slips (the parking counterpart for boats).

If you’re renting out your space, there’s no app/company better to mediate than CurbFlip.

9. Office Space

Do you have an office you don’t use anymore?

If you’re right smack in the middle of a major city, check out Deskpass or LiquidSpace for possibly renting out your table or room to someone who needs it temporarily.

RENT OUT YOUR VEHICLES

10. Car

If you don’t want to drive your own car and earn the Uber way, you can always do it old school by renting out your car.

The advantages of using car-sharing apps are that they usually do background and DMV checks on renters (that is, you don’t have to do it yourself) and they usually cover the insurance while someone else drives your car.

11. Seat in your car

Those who ride their cars to and from work daily can use apps like Zimride or BlaBlaCar to rent out a seat in your car (or all seats) to other people who have the same office area as you.

It is basically like carpooling, except the people riding with you are strangers.

12. Pickup truck

From hauling to delivery service, pickup trucks are versatile because of their size and ability to carry heavy-duty items.

You can also rent out your pickup truck and earn up to $600 a month.

13. Bicycles

If you have a perfectly working bike lying around and you live in a bicycle-friendly city like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles, you can make extra cash by sharing your bikes with travelers, racers, and enthusiasts via Spinlister. or LfistN

14. Motorcycles

Bike lovers may have second thoughts about renting out their beloved motorcycles, but the process becomes easy with services like Riders Share – a site that vets renters of your motorcycle and provides insurance for both the renter and the owner.

15. Boat

People with boats who have little time to sail but do not want to sell either can rent out their boats, with the peace of mind of a hull and liability insurance policy all included in deals offered by Boatsetter.

Other apps to list your boat for rent include Click&Boat, RentABoat, and GetMyBoat.

16. Moving Equipment

Help people who might need to haul heavy stuff from point A to B.

Rent out your furniture, appliance, or utility dolly, if you have one lying around.

These dollies can be rented out for $5 to $20 a day.

17. Mobility Equipment

Do you have a wheelchair, mobility scooter, knee walkers, or rollators you no longer use?

Many people need these to move around temporarily (after surgery, during an injury, or to support them when they’re in pain).

Not only are you helping people when you rent these out, but you also earn cash that you wouldn’t have earned if you just left the wheelchair or scooter to get dusty in the garage.

RENT OUT YOUR STUFF

18. Furniture and appliance

Perhaps you have an extra couch, dining set, oven, freezer, and any other furniture or appliance you’re not using.

Make them work for you too!

Check out what items you have that are accepted by Loanables.com.

19. Sewing machine

Sewing machines are very popular to rent out, especially to people who need to do occasional projects such as Halloween costumes and do not find a need to buy their own machines.

When it comes to sewing machines, go to peer-to-peer renting site Zilok to rent out your equipment, so you’ll be safe with a security deposit every time it gets rented out.

20. Home Improvement tools

Like sewing machines, there’s also a demand for power tools, carpentry equipment, ladders and cutting tables, and other home improvement equipment.

Your best bet is to go to Loanables.com and list your stuff for rent.

21. Snowplow attachment

If you live in cities that suffer from snowstorms each year, share your snowplow attachment to other locals by renting it out after using it.

While this may only work every winter, it’s still good money if you fill up your calendar with rentals upfront from sites like FedeRent

22. Lawnmower

There are local companies that offer rent-to-own schemes for lawnmowers, but if you have one often left unused at the garage, you can lease it out.

List your lawnmower on Craigslist and other peer-to-peer rental sites.

SPORTING EQUIPMENT

You may have begun to be involved in sports while attending school or later in life, but now have less time to actually golf, surf, go kayaking, ski, and so on.

Here are some examples of in-demand sports gear you can rent out:

23. Golf clubs

24. Volleyball set

25. Skateboards and longboards

25. Kayak

26. Canoe

27. Camping gear

28. Hiking gear

29. Mountain climbing gear

30. Surfboard

31. Paddleboard

32. Scuba or free diving gear

33. Ski equipment

34. Snowboarding gear

35. Gym Equipment

Try to list them on Craigslist, FriendWithA, RentNotBuy.com, Spinlister, TheQuiver, and Expeerent, among others.

BABY GEAR

If you have a lot of baby gear (especially branded) in used but good condition, you can rent them out through goBaby or BabyQuip. The safety of babies and kids is at stake, so make sure what you’re renting out is clean, working, and well-maintained.

36. Crib

37. Baby to toddler stroller

38. Toys

39. Booster seats

40. Car seats and booster seats

41. High chairs and booster chairs

42. Changing tables

43. Baby bathtubs

44. Baby carriers

45. Baby monitors

46. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

This is perfect whether you’re a musician looking to earn extra bucks for instruments you no longer use, or a hobbyist who can’t let go of their piano, guitar, saxophone, DJ equipment, or any other instrument, but will happily lease it out to other people.

You can list your instruments on general peer-to-peer rental sites like Fat Llama, or a music-specific rental marketplace like Fretish.

GADGETS

If you love electronics, photography, and the newest gadgets in the market, you can rent out your stuff for a daily rate ranging from $20/day to thousands of dollars daily for professional gear.

47. Cameras

48. Projectors

49. Sound system

50. Drone

51. GoPro

52. GPS Receivers

53. Dashcam

54. Video Game Consoles

55. Video Karaoke Machine

Depending on which of the gadgets above you have, there’s plenty of peer-to-peer rental sites where you can rent your stuff out. These include: ShareGrid, LensRentals.com, KitSplit, BorrowLenses, Parachut, FatLlama, and LensProToGo, among others.

56. MEDICAL EQUIPMENT

When it comes to medical equipment, the only ones who rent out hospital beds, oxygen, and other hospital-grade medical equipment are the manufacturers.

Unfortunately, there’s no peer-to-peer rental marketplace for medical equipment just yet. However, there will always be a need wherever you are, so you can either start your own rental business or list the items on Craigslist or Zilok.

EVENT RENTALS

If you’ve collected event equipment, such as party tents, chairs, fondue maker, and catering equipment during birthday parties, reunions, weddings, baby showers, and so on, you don’t have to hide them in drawers for the next big event to happen.

You can rent your stuff out for other people to use while you don’t need them.

57. Formal Wear

Did you spend $5,000 on your wedding gown? Why not share it with other brides-to-be, make their day, and earn back some of that cash?

Preownedweddingdresses.com, Style Lend, Nearly Newlywed, BravoBride, and other sites like them let you list your pre-loved wedding dresses, party dresses, suits, and other formal wear and earn from these pieces of clothing.

58. Tents

59. Party Chairs

60. Popcorn maker

61. Fondue maker

62. Catering equipment

Websites like Tradesy are perfect for leasing any item related to events, including decor, dresses, cutlery, table centerpieces, and more.

3 Big Tips Before You Rent Your Stuff Out

Before you rent your stuff out, make sure to follow these reminders:

1. Protect your stuff with deposit fee and insurance – This is very important, especially for high-priced items like cars, musical instruments, boats, and so on. Most peer-to-peer rental sites include the deposit fee with every listing, but insurance may vary from site to site. Double-check before listing your items for rent.
2. Commissions – The peer-to-peer rental sites come with commission fees because (some) validate the users who will rent your stuff out, others go as far as doing background checks for you. If you’re leasing cars or homes, this commission fee is very well worth the trouble.
3. Taxes – You won’t probably need to pay taxes for renting out stuff, unless of course, you earn several hundred dollars annually. To be sure, get legal advice.

If you have plenty of stuff you want to lease, you can open up a rental business locally.

However, before you plan to expand (buy more catering supplies, drones, etc.), make sure you do your research first.

Get Paid to Rent Your Stuff!

Renting out your stuff is a great way to earn some steady side cash out of things you already own.

Of course, if you’re ready to let go of your preloved possessions, you can try selling these items for cash and say goodbye to them permanently.

Have you ever gotten paid to rent your stuff? What apps or services did you use? Tell us if it worked for you in the comments!