Setting up for a photographer

Do I hire a cleaner? Do I remove the clutter? What about the family photos? Turn the lights on or off? What about your dog and cat?  These are all good questions.

We have shown up to homes that have been professionally cleaned, staged and lite and we have shown up to a cottage that had two dead ferrets stuck to the floor.

All in a days work.  Though it is incredibly amazing to show up to a perfectly staged home or cottage it is not as common as we would hope.  In the case of the dead ferrets, I wish we had before and after photos because that was rewarding.

• Remove as much of your personal clutter as possible.  I understand that this can be an overwhelming process so it may be a good idea to hire someone to assist you with this; especially if they are not emotionally tied to any of the belongings.
• Yes, remove all of your personal family photos, especially of your children / grand children.
•  We highly recommend that you hire a professional cleaner especially for the floors, bathrooms and windows.
• Turn on all of the lights in your home, yes all of the lights.  We will bring in our own professional lights and will use the natural light from the windows also so please open all if the blinds.
• Please put your dog or cat or pigs into a save place like a crate or your garage or another home.
• In your bathrooms; please remove all of the items in the shower / bath tubs, close the toilet seats and make sure your towels match.
• In the kitchen; remove the clutter from your counters, remove the towels, clothes and sponges.  Straighten your table / island chairs and if you have a full table setting please set it, as you would see in a gourmet restaurant.
• In the bedroom; please put all personal items away, make your bed and straighten your pillows.
• Absolutely stage your home or hire someone to do this for you.  “Home staging is the act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace. The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money.” Wikipedia

Written by Sonya Felsman, iSparks Solutions