The beach cities began as modest wooden cottages, many of them just 300 to 1,100 square feet, and today's homes on those small lots are often built out close to the maximum allowable size with small setbacks. That leaves no spare room for storage to spread into, so the closet has to do more of the work. Long Beach tells a different story through its historic districts. Bluff Park, among the first the city designated in 1982, mixes Craftsman, Spanish Revival, Prairie, Tudor and Colonial Revival homes built from 1903 to 1949. More than half the homes in Belmont Heights are Craftsman bungalows, and California Heights is known for Spanish Revival and California Bungalow houses from the 1920s.
- Small-lot beach homes: drawers built into the closet can replace a dresser and give the bedroom back its floor.
- Craftsman and Spanish Revival homes: reach-ins planned around original doors, trim and sloped ceilings.
- Garages: garage cabinets get boards, bikes and tools off the floor.
- Guest rooms that work: a Murphy bed lets a small home keep an office and a place for visitors.