If you're looking to scale down, a tiny house could be your next dream home.
An increasing number of start-ups are creating designs for micro-homes, which they claim re-think traditional living spaces.
There are numerous benefits to living in tiny houses — they're easy to manage and have a small energy footprint. The limited square footage also encourages residents to keep only the possessions that bring them joy, à la Marie Kondo.
Here are eight manufacturers making immaculately designed tiny homes that measure under 500 square feet.
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Wooden tiny homes on wheels.
In 2014, Tumbleweed Housing Company debuted its Cypress House, which ranges from 130 to 172 square feet.
Complete with wood paneling and wheels, the homes feature two beds (one lofted), a kitchen, a bathroom, and a washer and dryer.
The Colorado-based startup sells them for $58,000 to $70,000, depending on the amenities and size.
Prefabricated tiny homes that you can design with an app.
In April 2016, Blu Homes, a California-based prefab home manufacturer, launched a line of micro-houses that customers can customize on an app.
The tiny homes start at $250,000, and owners can pick the layout, materials, colors, and appliances to match their taste.
When someone orders one, Blu Homes will assemble it in a factory near the Bay Area — the area that's perhaps the biggest incubator of America's tiny home movement — and deliver it.
Micro-cottages in Georgia.
A team of architecture students at Auburn University designed a pair of tiny homes that each cost less than $20,000 to build.
The cottages are part of a pilot project to produce beautiful micro-homes at low production costs. They're located at Serenbe, a community of nearly 500 people in northwest Georgia.
The 500-square-homes have design elements that make them feel larger than they actually are, like deep window sills that bounce natural light and promote ventilation. They're also fully-furnished and feature a living room, bedroom, and full kitchen.
Currently, the houses are being used for artist residencies at Serenbe.
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