You don't store things in Israel the way they are stored in other countries.
Apartment come quite bare - without closets. Since everybody wants closets, you have to go out and buy them. Think of those extra closets as stark wardrobes that also serve as a chest of drawers.
Since the keys stick out, they catch on to your clothes. That teaches the adults good manners - they learn not to run around in the house.
Many of these closets have delightful one-size-fits-all keys. These keys can fit any door in your closet and in most of your neighbor's closets. They are not there for security. You begin to treasure those keys as more and more of them get lost, and at a certain point you may need to ask a neighbor for a key.
Those neighbors sometimes help with storage, but not the way you may think. They don't have as much storage space as you, so they can move around their house more easily. Their house is effectively more spacious than yours.
So what do they do when they need something?
Simple. They use your closets. They borrow things when they need them. You borrow closet keys; they borrow large items.
Your willingness to be a good neighbor works together with their determination to borrow.
The system works.
Need more storage room? Buy or rent a storeroom. Need extra room to store people?
Buy a storeroom adjacent to your apartment, if you are located on the lower floor. Break through the wall, and voila - you have a guest room. That room can also be used to store more bulky things for your neighbors.
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