As people have flocked to live in cities, downsizing and ever-smaller homes have become the norm. It’s why the self-storage industry is booming – valued at $30 billion in the US. With a delivery service and digitised inventory, Clutter is making it easy to embrace minimalism in a domestic setting.

A lack of affordable housing means that home-ownership is a pipe dream for many young adults. In the UK, Pocket is helping first-time buyers get a foothold in this hostile market, catering to the teachers, health workers and creatives that make a city. But do people really want to live in tiny homes?

With nearly two-thirds (62.7%) of the American population living in urban areas, cities are becoming increasingly crowded. Between rising student debt and sky-high housing prices, many are getting accustomed to apartment living - in Sydney’s newest area, 99.9% of the population are apartment-based, while in the UK, 59% of Gen Y homes are rented apartments. And with the average family home dropping 73 square feet between the first two quarters of 2016, people are finding ways to make the most of smaller spaces.

From being saddled with student debt, to sky-high housing prices, the dream of owning a home has never seemed more distant to most Gen Yers. Claiming to be “the missing step,” Unmortgage is helping people put down roots with a scheme that partially finances their homes.