To ensure that your home is photographed at its best here are a few easy tips to prepare for the photo shoot.
Outdoors. Have the lawns mowed, edges trimmed and hide garden hoses, tools, childrens bikes and toys out of the way so that they will not be visible in the photographs. Giving faded outdoor furniture a quick oil ensures it look fresh and sharp in the photos. If you have an outdoor umbrella open it up.
House Exterior. Hose down the exterior of the house remove any dirt, mould etc that may be seen in the photos. Touch up any paint spots that need it. Clean the windows inside and out. This makes a huge impact on photo presentation.
House Entrance. Remove any shoes, jackets, umbrellas etc so that the photos are uncluttered and welcoming.
Living Rooms. Put away magazines, newspapers, toys etc that may be lying around. If you have a lot of ornaments or photos remove some of these so that surfaces are as clear as possible giving a feeling of space and
clean lines to the photographs. These tend to make a room appear cluttered.
Dining Rooms. If you have a formal dining room, candles and or fresh flowers will give a warm intimate feeling to the picture. Remove table cloths as these can make a room appear drab and dated. Remove magazines, papers etc from table tops and where possible have an attractive centre piece on the table ie: Fresh flowers, a stunning piece of ornamental artwork to add colour and interest to the photo.
Kitchen. Ensure all work surfaces are free of clutter (mail, kitchen gadgets etc can be hidden away in a cupboard while the photos are being taken.) Clean and polish all surfaces including bench tops, fridges and dishwashers, particularly stainless steel appliances so that everything is clean, fresh and
free of streaks and smears in the photo. If you have pet bowls hide them out of sight and remove tea towels and oven mits etc. A bowl of fresh fruit is a nice finishing touch.
Bathrooms. Clean all surfaces and remove all small items including personal toiletries, toothbrushes, facecloths etc. Any towels on display should be fresh, clean, colour cordinated and folded neatly otherwise
remove. Damp, mismatched towels do not make an attractive photo.
Bedrooms. Beds should be made perfectly, curtains, blinds or drapes open to let the light in and all toys and clothes etc out of sight. Book shelves should be neat and tidy and dressers as clear of items as possible. This all gives a sense of space in the room.
Laundry. Surfaces should be clean and any washing should be out of sight (popped into washing machine or
dryer) for the photos.