How to prepare a home for listing photos

The camera sees everything the eye skips over. Twenty minutes of prep the night before saves an hour of retouching and gets a cleaner result than editing ever could.

Every room

• Turn on every light, including lamps and under-cabinet strips. Replace dead bulbs.
• Open blinds and curtains to the same height in each room.
• Clear flat surfaces. Leave one or two objects at most.
• Hide cables, chargers, remotes and bins.

Kitchen

• Clear the counters completely, including the kettle, knife block and soap.
• Take magnets and paper off the fridge.
• Put dish towels and mats away.

Bathrooms

• Close toilet lids and remove bath mats.
• Put away toothbrushes, razors and bottles from the shower.
• Hang one set of matching towels, folded in thirds.

Outside

• Move cars off the driveway and away from the front of the house.
• Put bins out of sight, and roll up hoses.
• Turn off sprinklers the day before so the paving is dry.

If something cannot be moved, tell me when I arrive. I would rather frame around it than remove it later.