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We’re surrounded by it, everyday and everywhere: things we don’t use, bought and left to stand.

Traveling to Dallas a few days ago, I spent hours flying over mile after mile of huge mansions and houses with rooms people rarely or never enter. Walking along my street in Brooklyn, I see cars that sit idle for days and weeks, just waiting to be taken somewhere. And then my favorite: boats. Have you ever wandered around a marina and marveled at those endless rows of beautiful yachts and sailboats? Just as importantly, have you ever wondered when and if the owner actually takes them out into open waters?

The list goes on an on: stereo equipment, televisions, lawn mowers, kitchen gadgets, vacation homes, jewelry, movies, clothing… Racks, boxes and piles of things we own but rarely enjoy.

In the future, this will change. We won’t need to own things in the traditional (and inconvenient) sense anymore. Rather, we’ll pay for items when we need them, in the same model as services like Zipcar, Netflix and Pandora, which give us access to cars, movies and music on an as-needed basis. Taking that idea one step further, companies like AirBnB and Getaround turn consumers into the dealers, letting you make your home or car available to others using social networking technology. You can own things, but you can make money off them too.

That’s really just the beginning. Personally, I hope there comes a day when we won’t have to own anything at all—just pay a monthly fee for our lifestyles and get it all on demand. Cars, appliances, clothes, holidays, dinners out, tickets to shows. There’s no reason to own when you can rent. One day we’ll ask: how do I want to live this year? Subscribe for the “fashion conscious, middle-aged, conservative executive with a family of four” or even the “edgy, artistic, single hipster” bundle and live large!