I know people who rent out their NYC apartments when they travel. Via Craigslist, not VRBO or AirBnB … why the hell would one pay someone a cut to do what Craigslist does for free? Generally not super short term, but more like a month in summer. (Theoretically the legal minimum in NY.)
Truly personal/valuable items generally aren’t that bulky — put important papers, cameras, keys, jewelry, laptops, etc into a few Wawa crates and dump them into basement storage for the duration. Sheets/towels: a place can be rented without any of that. Renters bring their own bedding, shampoo, toiletries, and towels. Since they’re paying about 1/3 to 1/2 of what a hotel would cost, they’re more than happy to do so.
