RentStuff.com claims they can make your tiny New York City apartment bigger.

Picture this: It’s Friday night. You are heading back to your 2 bedroom flex 3 apartment in the lower east side when your friend texts you with the brilliant idea to get out of the city and go kayaking on Saturday morning. That would be a sweet idea if you actually owned a kayak. But you don’t. And even if you did, where would you store it?

Fortunately, a new website called RentStuff.com solves the issue of wanting access to stuff without having to waste money and space on buying and storing it in a New York City bedroom that could pass for a coat closet in other cities.

Chris Jaeger, the company’s CEO, came up with the concept along with his twin brother Robert back in 2008. The two brothers were frustrated after spending countless hours trying to track down kayaks and bikes to rent for a long weekend from small rental shops all over New York City.

Jaeger created the site, which is essentially “an eBay for rentals,” to unlock the network of other people’s stuff. The best part is that many of the items can be found right in your own neighborhood; someone living in your own building could potentially have what you need.

“The site creates a win-win situation for both the lender and renter,” said Jaeger in an interview. Not only does the renter save money by not having to buy and store the item, but lenders “can earn serious income on items sitting idle in their apartments.” RentStuff.com joins companies such as Airbnb.com, Zipcar, and Skillshare in the exponentially growing collaborative consumption space. The site links up with Facebook to add an additional level of comfort and trust among lenders. Security deposits fully protect items in case there is damage, and secure credit card payments prevent both parties from awkwardly dealing with cash. Creating an account and posting items are both free. They even have a video that helps to explain the whole process.

RentStuff.com is currently open in Nashville, Chicago, and New York City and plans to expand across major cities in the US in the coming months. Jaeger believes that the “timing is perfect.” With the current economic climate, people are looking for more ways to save money and earn additional income. The site is helpful for the environment as well. Choosing “access over ownership” helps with the overproduction, under consumption issue that runs rampant in the US.

In addition, the high tech site ironically brings users back to the old days when you would ask your neighbor for a cup of sugar. The face to face interactions and sharing mentality help to build small, trusted communities within larger networks.

It is interesting to see the list of top rentals on the site and how they are pitched:

1. Party Time. Put in a Boyz II Men cassette tape and take it back to 1992 with a smoke machine. Hosting the next Jersey Shore party? Try this 3 bottle Jagermeister dispenser. Jagerbombs!

2. Outdoor Gear. Rent a surfboard and head out to Montauk for the weekend. Training for a triathlon or wanting to leisurely bike ride through Central Park? Try out a bike before you buy one. They even have a Rumble Roller for sore muscles post workout.

3. Clothing. Turn heads in this red cocktail dress at your next event. More of a DIY personality? Rent a sewing machine and make one yourself.

4. Kitchen Tools. Big dinner party? Rent out a Crock Pot to make perfect Chili or a KitchenAid mixer to churn out delicious desserts.

Your apartment will feel bigger from all the space you will save by not crowding valuable apartment real estate with extra stuff. Plus, with all the money you’ll be making from renting out your stuff, your wallet just might get bigger too.