There are a myriad of online services that help you out when you just don't have the time. From junk removal to IKEA furniture assembly, the internet is always there to lend a hand. But what about when you just don't have the space? Some small apartments lack closet space, a proper kitchen, adequate parking, or laundry machines. Here are a handful of online directories and sharing systems that offer solutions to your small-space problems.
No room for your wheels
A small space in a tight metropolitan location often means little to no available parking. If you need to get around but logistically can't own an automobile, ZipCar is the gold standard for American car-sharing. With an online reservation, you just pick up and drop off the vehicle you need at a location close to your home. Keeping a bike in your apartment may be tough as well, but thankfully, lots of cities are starting to adopt bike-sharing programs as well. Check out Hubway in Boston, or for residents of the DC area, Capital Bike Share.
Far from freshness? Cramped kitchen?
If your neighborhood lacks a good grocer, not having wheels to get around can be even more frustrating. FreshDirect offers fresh groceries delivered to your door, provided your door is in the New York area. Cramped, inadequately equipped kitchens are another common issue. For an easy meal, GrubHub will let you order delivery meals from an expansive directory of local restaurants. If you're really missing quality time with a nice oven, kitchen shares are becoming increasingly common. Though many are geared towards professional chefs, some, like Kitchen Thyme in Richmond, VA, also offer space to consumers.
Save your quarters with laundry services
Plenty of smaller apartments are either stuck with shared, coin-operated laundry machines or no laundry equipment at all. If you don't want to haul your overflowing hamper down to a laundromat, some dry cleaners and laundromats offer pickup and delivery service. Sites like LaundryLocal and SpotlessCity act similarly to GrubHub, in that they provide an online booking system to work with local businesses. Though these two are limited in scope (the former is NYC and LA only, the latter just NYC), there may be a similar service available in your area.
These are a few great ways to get more mileage (literally, in some cases) out of your small space. What services do you use to make up for limited amenities? Let us know in the comments!
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B-Cycle is another bike sharing service.
http://www.bcycle.com/
Fresh Direct is a godsend
Bixi is great! I hope NYC will have something like it soon.
We're hard at work on NYC bike-share, coming this summer! There's more info here: nycitybikeshare.com
Here in Philly we have Philly Car Share in addition to Zip Car...now we just need a bike share
In addition to Zipcar, new car sharing services are entering the market: car2go, Getaround, RelayRides, and some local services. Each have their own advantages and are useful for different day-to-day needs. As someone who lives in Portland without a car, all of these options make car-light city life much easier and more pleasant.
Bikesharing is growing quickly and will soon be coming to NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, Portland, LA, Chattanooga, and many more North American cities. If you have your own bike but no garage or yard, some bike shops provide a space where you can do your own maintenance.
And don't forget community gardens, CSAs, shared art studios, tool/equipment libraries, AND traditional libraries, of course!
Hooray for the growing culture of shared resources!