I love to be space-savvy, to not hoard stuff and to be clever about how I fit our family of four into our tiny apartment. However, sometimes, when I am trying to cook a big dinner with no bench space, or attempting to bathe my kids and getting a leg cramp since there's nowhere to sit, I need to remind myself: we chose this. We chose this, and this is why:

I have long thought that storage spaces were something reserved for the clutter bound, for those with years of built up furniture, sentiments and old technology that they just couldn’t bear to part with. But not me.

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Name:

Ellen

Location:

Santa Barbara, CA

Square Feet:

669

Division:

Little

What I Love About My Small Home:

My home is in a fantastic location, a residential neighborhood that’s a 5 minute walk to the center of town, a 15 minute walk to the beach, and a short drive to work. I love that my house is a Sears kit home, built in the 1930s, in a complex of cottages that used to be vacation rentals. It’s a wonderful community, with friendly neighbors who tend their gardens and care for their homes as if they owned them. I have my own little back yard, and though my cottage is less than 10 feet from the one next door, I love having my own self-contained space. I also appreciate the lovely original features, like the hardwood floors, and the cabinets and tile in the kitchen.

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Name:

Lorna

Location:

Brooklyn, NY

Square Feet:

475

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

It's less than a year since I pounded the pavement in search of my first home. My humble small abode feels like a true 'lived in' home. It has a lot of charm, the building was built in 1923. Thanks to a southerly exposure warm sunlight streams through the whole apt. Another bonus feature is that I enter on the ground floor, however, my view is equivalent to 5 stories up (the back of the building is on a bluff). It's full of pieces that I have collected from friends and travels over the years.

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Name:

Stephanie

Location:

Chicago, IL

Square Feet:

768

Division:

Little

What I Love About My Small Home:

We love our space for its abundant natural light and cooling cross breezes. We have been fortunate enough to score a traditional Chicago-style apartment, and the space has paired well with our love of well-made vintage pieces. Most everything in our home was either given to us secondhand, purchased from a secondhand retailer, or made by us. Converting our rented space into a home has taken a lot of time and patience, as well as a bit of DIY. This approach has left us, at times, short a set of dining chairs or proper storage, however, in the end, our persistence has been rewarded with a home full of great pieces and fond memories.

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Name:

Alexa

Location:

Washington, DC

Square Feet:

550

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

We love the huge windows and open layout. We get a lot of natural light, which helps considerably in a small space. The layout has allowed us a lot of flexibility with our set up -- we have been able to create separate areas without having to use objects to divide the space. I previously lived in an apartment with all sorts of nooks and crannies that limited my furniture options, so I'm happy for this change. The walk-in closet, with a little creativity, also gives us the freedom for one person to stay up late and work if the other wants to go to sleep.

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Name:

Martha

Location:

Los Angeles, CA

Square Feet:

328

Division:

Teeny-Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

I never thought I'd say it, but I love studio living. I'm surrounded by the things I truly love because I only have space for belongings that are meaningful and functional. Even though it's small, the separate rooms keep it from feeling cramped. I love having friends come over for dinner and when they do, it's always a party because it quickly fills up in here. Something about this place makes people feel like little kids in a tree house, so parties often go late into the night, with everyone lounging around on the giant bed watching movies together. It's unique and charming and tucked up on a hill so it's private and safe and gets a delightful breeze. I'm right next door to friends and down the street from even more. But truth be told, I love my dishwasher most of all.

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Name:

Teresa

Location:

Houston, TX

Square Feet:

575

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

My home is tiny but the layout is so well thought out that I never feel cramped. I call my apartment "the treehouse" because I'm up on the 4th floor with two balconies overlooking the Houston museum district. I have always preferred living in older buildings versus new, generic apartment complexes. My building was built in the early 1920's and was originally a single family house. It has many quirks but it is full of character. There is a shared courtyard on the ground floor where my neighbors have started a vegetable garden and a pack of wild cats roams freely.

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Name:

Jodi

Location:

Rochester, MN

Square Feet:

470

Division:

Tiny

What I Love About My Small Home:

Of all the five homes my husband Ryan and I have renovated and lived in, this is by far the smallest and yet our absolute favorite! It was vacant for almost 30 years and was therefore a complete gut job! We love how the the renovation has brought us closer to our neighbors. Everyone was so excited to have the eyesore on the block finally brought back to life! We loved completely redesigning the space, opening up the main floor and making use of the attic with the sleeping loft and floor to peak cealings. We love how the rooms are so open from one to another, allowing the sunlight to fill the entire space.

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Name:

Miko

Location:

New York, NY

Square Feet:

750

Division:

Little

What I Love About My Small Home:

It always surprises me how quiet it is inside my apartment, which provides a truly relaxing environment even in the city. When I have company staying over, the layout accommodates for personal space. I also love my neighborhood -- it's got everything I need.