Staging property is one of the most important aspects of any property shoot. By following this guidance you can make the shoot quicker, and ensure your property is presented optimally to any prospective buyers.
Once one of our photographers has arrived at your property, they can advise on anything you might not be sure about. You can contact us here too! Below is a check list we hope will help.
Cars off the drive
Please take your cars off the drive before we arrive. A clear driveway always looks better.
Bins out of sight
Where practical and possible, get the bins out of sight. If you live somewhere this is not practical, we may be able to move them temporarily, take the photos then put them back.
Fabrics
Cameras can really pick up creases and folds in any kind of fabric. To ensure optimal results, make sure any linen that is going to be in the photographs is crease free.
Wires
Wires can look unsightly in photos especially when tangled in a large ball etc. If possible either hide or ideally move them out of the frame.
General Clutter
This can include things like piles of newspaper on the coffee table, and masses of ornaments on a shelf. Try to keep a minimal, clean look if possible.
Any surface that is full with various appliances for example will need clearing. In a kitchen you want a few items on the surface to give a warm inviting look, making the house look lived in. You do not want a cluttered surface, so if you think it looks too full, consider taking some items off.
This includes in the garden area, remove footballs etc.
Garden Furniture Cushions
Ensuring the cushions are on all the garden furniture will improve the photos.
Pet Related Items
Any pet related item is better out of sight. They won’t entice other pet owners into buying the property, and can potentially put off buyers that don’t like animals. So its definitely a negative having anything pet related in frame.
Toiletry Bottles
A few bottles neatly placed in the shower for example isn’t a problem. However, a mass of toiletry bottles on a surface for example is unsightly. So definitely keep them to a minimum.
Towels
If folded neatly and there are not a massive load of them, they aren’t a problem. This isn’t usually the case. Even a slight mis folded towel can look bad in photos- cameras really seem to pick this up. Look out for them hanging on ovens and towel racks. I usually just remove them to be sure.
Toilet Seats
Always make sure they’re down. Very important aspect of staging property.
Clothing Lines
Ideally take them down, and certainly take any washing off them if its there.
Clothing Hung Behind Doors
This one often catches people out. Keep a lookout for this and remove if necessary.
Lining up chairs
Dining rooms or any kind of table with chairs around it looks so much better in photos if the chairs are lined up nicely. It won’t take long and makes a massive difference to the photo. Another thing to be weary of here is people hiding things on these chairs. If they’re not in the shot then its not a problem. Just watch out and make sure they aren’t!
Flowers and Staging
Flowers can add a nice touch, you can also stage with bottle of wine and glasses- champagne etc. Laying the table with crockery can work too. This is a nice to have, not necessarily a must.
Please note if you are running out of space to hide things, we would recommend putting them into boxes which can then be easily moved out of rooms, shot and then put back in. We photograph/ video on a room by room basis so we often employ this technique.
Thank you for your co-operation! We hope you enjoyed reading our guide on staging property. Take a look at our portfolio here if you need any further inspiration on staging. If you have any further questions please feel free to get in contact here.