Preparing your home

Your preparation checklist

Work through these before the shoot and the first viewings. It looks like a lot, but most of it is quick — and every bit of it helps your home land that strong first impression. Think of it as a head start on packing, too.

Remember where your things are

Before you tidy everything away, note where your phone, keys, money and the TV remote have gone. It saves a frustrating hunt afterwards.

Have every room ready

Please don’t plan to shift things from room to room during the visit — it isn’t part of the appointment, it eats into the time, and it slows everything down. If space or time is tight, the visit can still go ahead; we’ll assess on arrival.

Hide, clear, minimise

Pack away the personal bits. Decluttering every room now doubles as a head start on the move. Somewhere to put it all? A garage, spare room, attic, shed — even the car — all do the job nicely.

Setting the scene

They imagined eating at the table in their new home

Sell the experience. Set the mood.

Set the table — if you have one.

No table of your own? Borrow one — a friend’s or a neighbour’s works just as well
No need to set it before we arrive — during the visit works too
Dinner set — keep it simple or go all out. Either way, it makes a difference

The list, did you check it?

Hide now, don’t regret later

Entrance

Shoes, hats and gloves removed or kept to a minimum

Living Room

Clear coffee tables, side tables and worktops — the fewer objects, the calmer the room reads
Charging cables and remotes out of sight
Newspapers and magazines away

Kitchen

Worktops clear of clutter, including larger items and the kitchen roll
Put away oven mitts, dish cloths, brushes, sponges, the drying rack and any chip fryer
On the fridge: remove magnets and postcards, or at least keep them to a minimum
A fruit bowl or some flowers on the table can lift the room

Dining Room

Remove flowers or a centrepiece from the dining table if they block the view of the room in photos
Chairs are clear of items

Behind Doors

Nothing hanging on the backs of doors — jackets, dressing gowns, scarves, hats and towels

Wet Rooms

Toiletries, the toilet brush, bleach, towels and scales tucked away
Surfaces clear and wiped down
Laundry basket, products, iron and clothes airer out of sight
No clothes drying, inside or out

Bedrooms

Clear the tops of bedside tables — and down the sides of the bed too
Check nothing can be seen stored under the beds
No visible charging cables and extension cables

Bins

The aim is images with no bins in them at all.

Move every bin out of view — kitchen, bathroom and bedroom
Outside too: wheelie bins away, including the neighbours’ if they’d be in the main shot

Light Bulbs

Check every bulb works — ceiling lights, lamps and bedside lights all on and even

Vehicles

A clear view of the house — ideally with no car in shot, yours or a neighbour’s.

On a busy street, a parked car out front can usefully hold the space so others don’t block the view
If a neighbour is parked in front, it’s worth asking if they can move
When it’s time for the outside photos, move your car off the drive — it only takes a few minutes and it goes straight back after

Pets

Signs of pets kept minimal — toys, beds, bowls and food

Over the top? Probably. But on a first impression, it’s always better to be.

Prepare for the new owner

“I can imagine living here.”

Make room for their story. Not yours.

Family photos are one of the biggest ways a house still feels like yours — start packing them for the new place
Fewer on show, or none at all
Let buyers picture their own mornings, their own kids on the stairs, their own gatherings round the table
Too much hassle to swap every framed photo before the shoot? Leave those as they are

Ready when you are

Let’s get your home on the market

Book a free valuation and we’ll plan the shoot and the launch together.

Book a free valuation