A 100-square-foot tube in Germany, an Airstream trailer in Austria, and a converted wine barrel in Switzerland — these are just a few of the tiny homes I've crashed in during my travels in a quest to discover how to make the most of a small space.

But I'll never forget my first tiny home stay. In 2021, I booked two nights in an Airbnb on wheels in Miami for about $200.

At 250 square feet, the home was half the size of my NYC apartment. And my stay was full of surprises.

The tiny home I stayed in had wheels meant to be pulled by a trailer, but it didn't look like it had been moved recently.

Located in the hidden yard of a larger home, the Airbnb stood on cinderblocks against a wall. Its wheels were not visible from the accessible side, and I thought moving it would be no easy feat since it was far from the street.

This didn't deter me from the lifestyle, since I wouldn't want to move my hypothetical future tiny house, even if I had the option.

From the outside, the tiny home looked to be the size of a bedroom.

But the inside had a bed, a kitchen, a bathroom, and storage space, all without feeling cramped. High ceilings made the space feel even bigger. I was especially surprised that there was enough room for me to do yoga.

I arrived at my Airbnb at night. The next morning, the room felt much larger with the window curtains drawn, which made me realize that windows can make a small space feel more open.

I expected to find some of the space-saving hacks I saw in the tiny home, like a mounted TV and a table that doubled as storage.

But the sliding bathroom door was surprisingly clever. The sliding feature saved space that a swinging door would take up. I thought the door's vibrant mosaic surface made it double as a piece of art.

Similarly, next to the shower, a storage closet had a curtain rather than a door, which I thought looked better while saving more space.

The bathroom felt spacious because there was no furniture in it, thanks to clever wall storage for toiletries and towels.

Since the square footage was so limited, I expected to have to sleep in a full- or twin-sized bed. But seeing this queen-sized mattress made me realize I wouldn't necessarily have to compromise on my bed size in a smaller space.

Every mess can quickly feel like a big one when you're in a tiny space. Something as small as an unmade bed, dishes in the sink, or clothes on the floor can be enough to make the room look chaotic.

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