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One great thing about living in a tiny home is there's so much less stuff to clean.
Another great thing is how much more freedom you have to get creative making your small space the most beautiful and efficient space that it can be.
For Apartment Therapy's 12th annual Small Cool contest, the site reviewed entries from tiny-home dwellers all over the world. The winners received more than $5,000 in prizes, and bragging rights for their baller pads.
Here are some of the contest winners, and their best advice for decking out a small space.
Pamela is the US winner of the Small Cool contest. She lives in a 385-square-foot, fifth floor walk-up in New York City.
"The railroad-style layout allows for unique styling in ... the bedroom, living room, and kitchen," Pamela tells Apartment Therapy.
Pamela decorates with pieces she picked up in Morocco, India, and Turkey.
Her top tip is strategic placement of furniture and decor: "When executed the right way, small spaces have the ability to transform into larger ones."
"Be creative with the items you already own," she adds. "Before writing off a piece of art, [or] furniture ... try moving it to a different space or utilizing it in a different way."
Yasmine is the international winner of the Small Cool contest. She lives in Paris in a light-filled, 300-square-foot flat.
The bedroom and kitchen/living room area are divided by a windowed wall. "I love the smart division which creates a separate bedroom," she tells AT.
In addition to being beautiful, it's also functional: "Every inch has been carefully designed to be optimal and fit as much storage as possible."
"Practicality in a small space is essential," she says, but make sure not to neglect aesthetics.
"Otherwise it can quickly feel bland or like a shoebox. Small can be extra beautiful!"
Amanda is one of the contest finalists. Her Santa Monica, California home is a bit bigger than some of the others, but she still chooses to loft her bed for even more space.
Her home is filled with items that tell stories of who she is and where she's been.
You never know what you can find at thrift stores, she says. "Decorating on a budget is a practice in patience and having the flexibility of mind to see that which the universe puts in front of you."
Her best tip? Not to be a packrat: "Surround yourself with the things you truly love and have personal meaning to you." Let everything else go.
