How to prepare your home for its photographs

For most buyers, the photographs are the first viewing. They decide from a phone screen whether to book a real one. So the day the photographer comes is one of the most important days of your sale, and a little preparation goes a long way.

The week before

Start with the things a camera exaggerates. Clutter is the big one: anything on a surface will look twice as busy in a photograph as it does in life. Clear kitchen worktops, bathroom shelves and bedside tables almost completely.

Fix the small things too. Replace blown bulbs, and make sure every bulb in a room is the same colour; mixed warm and cool light looks odd on camera. Touch up scuffed paintwork around light switches and door frames.

Room by room

Living rooms. Plump the cushions, fold the throws and move the remote controls out of sight. Open curtains and blinds fully.

Kitchens. Clear everything off the worktops apart from one or two attractive things: a bowl of lemons, a chopping board, a plant. Hide the bins, tea towels and washing-up liquid.

Bedrooms. Make the beds with plain, pressed linen. Remove anything under the bed that might show, and clear the tops of wardrobes.

Bathrooms. Put away every bottle. Hang fresh white towels, close the toilet lid and clean the mirrors and glass twice.

Gardens. Mow the lawn a day or two before, sweep the terrace and put the cushions on the outdoor furniture.

On the day

Be out if you can. Photographers work faster in an empty house, and it is easier for them to move things around for the shot. Leave the heating at a normal temperature, and put pets with a friend.

We book our photographers for the time of day that suits each home: morning light for east-facing rooms, late afternoon for gardens facing west. If your best room is at its best at a certain hour, tell us.