One year in the sharing economy

I tried Airbnb for the first time in 2013 when I rented an apartment in Spain for a month, but I got really hooked in 2015 when I decided to rent out a room in my own apartment and also stayed a lot in people’s homes in France. The kindness and helpfulness I met was amazing! I felt it was a great way of meeting people and something I wanted to do more of.

So I decided to explore the sharing economy during one year. For 366 days I had more than 200 people sleeping in my home, arranged at home-restaurants, rent out my things - including my toilet, and more.

Some of the questions that I wanted to explore during this year was: What is the difference – if any – between the sharing economy and simply economy – or old school sharing? How can the sharing economy affect your private economy?

But most of all I was interested in the social aspects of the sharing economy. Is this a way technology can help bringing people together? To build trust between strangers? To make people less lonely? How does the sharing economy affect people?

I was also interested in how it would affect me as a person. I enjoy spending time with my friends, old or new ones. I've realized that I really like being around people and dislike being alone. In general I like adventures and trying new things, but I wish I was less shy sometimes and better at talking to strangers.

Would I meet new friends this way? Would the project make me a more outgoing person?

I had one year to find out. Read the blog here.

Or, why not start from the beginning, when I decided to end 2015 by blowing up my old Nokia.