The Little Book of Living Small

A comprehensive guide to small-space secrets and real-life solutions for living in 1,200 square feet or less.

The Little Book of Living Small offers practical, everyday advice for managing a tight footprint. It features twelve case study homes in which style-savvy, small-space dwellers (from singles to families of four) open their doors and share their design secrets. Stylistically these homes range from urban to rural, minimalist to bohemian, with the unifying thread that they are all real homes of people who choose to live small that offer clever solutions for you to use in your own home.

Highly engaging with lists, tips, and actionable advice, The Little Book of Living Small shows readers how to make the most of limited square footage--with grace and style--and serves as the cheerleader readers need to help themselves feel satisfied and proud of their choice to live with less.

Inside the book you'll find:

• The Small Space Commandments: 10 rules for living small
• Case Studies: 12 home tours of small homes ranging from 312 to 1,200 square feet
• Detailed chapters on every part of the home, including kitchens, work-at-home spaces, and kids' rooms
• Advice for downsizing and decluttering
• Renovation and remodeling tips for small homes
• A small-space furniture buying guide
• Resources and further reading
• Inspirational quotes about living small

From the author's introduction, "So often, books and magazine articles about small spaces show homes that are neither small nor places where people live full-time (something that has always frustrated me!). For The Little Book of Living Small I have chosen to feature only primary residences--no weekend houses, pieds à terre, or AirBnBs.

I have tried to create a different kind of book: one that shows you honestly how people are living. I hope it will inspire you and maybe even change the way you live."

Laura Fenton is a small space expert and the author of The Little Book of Living Small. As the former lifestyle director at Parents magazine, she oversaw the home content for the publication. Her work has appeared in major publications including Better Homes & Gardens, Country Living, Good Housekeeping, and Real Simple, and on leading home websites including Remodelista, HGTV.com, and ElleDecor.com. Through her writing she has explored the topic of living small for more than a decade. She lives with her husband, a photographer, and their son in Jackson Heights, Queens, in New York City.

"The Little Book of Living Small shows readers how to make the most of limited square footage-with grace and style-and serves as the cheerleader readers need to help themselves feel satisfied and proud of their choice to live with less. In addition to exploring both the motivation behind choosing to live in a small space, as well as the practical, everyday advice for managing a tight footprint, The Little Book of Living Small also includes case studies: 12 style-savvy, small-space dwellers open their doors and share their design secrets. She covers a range of homes including studio apartments, one- and two-bedroom houses, an RV, a tiny house, a co-living space, and even whole houses. Stylistically these homes range from urban, rural, minimalist, embellish, industrial, and country, with the unifying thread that they are all real homes of less than 1,200 square feet that offer clever solutions that readers can steal for their own homes. Any space can be made to work better and harder; highly readable with actionable advice and beautiful interior photography, this book is one that readers can refer back to often when they need a boost of inspiration or motivation"--
"Apartment-dwellers, take note!"--Hadley Keller"House Beautiful" (10/23/2020)
"[Laura Fenton has] been living small?690-square feet to be exact?for years (with a four-and-a-half-year-old no less!) and just released a book yesterday, The Little Book of Living Small, which feels like an anthology of all things small?and is full of some serious tiny house eye candy. Even if you aren't limited by your square footage, you can still use these strategies for a less clutter, more stylish space."-- (04/08/2020)
"A triumphant celebration of small spaces that frames living small as a prospect that's both exciting and eminently practical. Much more than an opportunity to gawk at the tiny places folks call home, this book gives readers an honest look at how to thrive?with confidence and conviction?no matter the constraints of square footage. Ultimately we see how a choice to live small is less about what we might lose and more about we can gain?for ourselves and for our planet."-- (04/07/2020)
"It's not about what you 'give up' to go small, but rather strategic solutions and thoughtful consideration over every corner of your space. The Little Book of Living Small offers an unfiltered and inspiring peek into real small spaces that may just give you the push you need to scale down your own home."-- (04/07/2020)
"Most of us have heard the phrase "less is more," popularized by minimalist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In her new book, The Little Book of Living Small, author Laura Fenton not only makes a case for that but also shares practical advice for how to pare down in a way that still allows for a personalized, aesthetically pleasing and comfortable environment. Whether you are contemplating downsizing, looking to simplify your lifestyle, or find the environmental and financial benefits of small-space living appealing, this book has a wealth of inspiration to help you find your way."-- (04/01/2020)
"The writing is fun and not the least bit didactic. For anyone considering small space living, this is a great place to start for ideas and information."-- (04/07/2020)
"While the thought of downsizing possessions can make many nervous, including me, Laura Fenton's new book The Little Book of Living Small ... have slowly quieted my anxiety about a smaller home lifestyle."--Theresa"MyFixItUpLife" (02/06/2020)
Most of us have heard the phrase "less is more," popularized by minimalist architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. In her new book, The Little Book of Living Small (2020: Gibbs Smith), author Laura Fenton not only makes a case for that but also shares practical advice for how to pare down in a way that still allows for a personalized, aesthetically pleasing and comfortable environment.Whether you are contemplating downsizing, looking to simplify your lifestyle, or find the environmental and financial benefits of small-space living appealing, this book has a wealth of inspiration to help you find your way.-- (04/01/2020)
While the thought of downsizing possessions can make many nervous, including me, Laura Fenton's new book 'The Little Book of Living Small' ... have slowly quieted my anxiety about a smaller home lifestyle.--Theresa"MyFixItUpLife" (02/06/2020)