A survey by online furniture retailer MADE has revealed that first time buyers are so desperate to get on the property ladder that they would be willing to purchase a property of just 35 square metres – that’s a third of the size of the average UK house.

It’s not about the size, it’s the way that you use it; estate agents have been telling prospective buyers this for decades, describing properties as ‘bijou’ or ‘compact’ in order to disguise the fact that what they’re selling is, in actual fact, tiny. But they do have a point; even if you don’t have much space, there is a lot you can do with it to maximise what you’ve got, and, in some cases, even make it seem bigger.

When the stats are broken down nationally, it is first-time buyers in Scotland who have the lowest ‘space threshold’ at 33.5 square metres – i.e. the minimum sized property they’d be prepared to accept. They are followed by first-time buyers in England whose minimum requirement would be properties larger than 34.3 square metres. But it is those in Wales who demand the greatest space, unwilling to tolerate anything less than 36.7 square metres.

Clearly, when space is at a premium, non-essentials are the first to go; when asked which feature the first-time buyers would be prepared to live without, however, those surveyed said an eat-in kitchen (32 per cent) and outside space (21 per cent). 20 per cent would happily forego natural light, while 14 per cent would give up having a bath. 7 per cent wouldn’t mind not having a dining area, and another 7 per cent would even be willing to give up having a separate bedroom. And even storage isn’t an issue for 44 per cent of first time buyers, who admit to storing belongings at their parents’.

Finally, first time buyers were asked what their priority is when buying their first property: not surprisingly, affordability came top, at 32 per cent, and was followed by space (26 per cent), neighbourhood security (16 per cent), proximity to public transport (10 per cent), proximity to work (8 per cent), proximity to family and friends (6 per cent), and finally, the look and style of the property (2 per cent).

Leading online furniture and retailer, MADE, have recently created a nifty online tool which will help homeowners see how to make the most of a small space. It covers different rooms and also any outdoor space the owner might be lucky enough to have, with great ideas such as extra shelving, storage, and utilising otherwise empty zones, such as under a staircase. See more at MADE.