Tiny Homes Get Big

The trend toward "living small" is on the brink of getting very, very big.

Not only is the average home size shrinking, there are more small home devotees, and more small homeoptions available than ever before. So it should come as no surprise there are ever-bigger numbers of "loud and proud" people choosing to live in tiny apartments, too.

The New York Times featured one such renter named Zach Motl. His castle measures 178 square feet. Unlike others who might cling to a minimalist, less-is-more approach when it comes to home furnishings, Motl adopted a "more-is-more" approach. His artfully arranged apartment landed him a job (as a junior designer at an Robert Couturier & Associates) as well as a feature in the Times.

Motl's innate sense of good taste certainly helps maximize his small apartment. Here are some essential tips anyone living in a small space can use.