Staging Your Home for the Camera
The entire internet-connected world is about to have access to your home. Are you ready for them? 😱
Buyers might come to see your home once in person, but you better believe they are going to obsess over your photos, videos, and 3D tours. They'll study the images 10 times before they schedule a showing and then 20 times after their appointment.
That's why we believe media day is the most important day of the listing process and why you should know that staging your home for the camera is different than staging it for real life.
But don't worry... your Parrett Group agent has done this plenty of times before and can walk room by room with you, giving you our personal suggestions.
In the meantime, you can use this list as a starting point.
Quick Tip: Click the *Inspiration* buttons to scroll through photos of some of our past listings.
General
- Make sure ALL light bulbs work and that they are the same type of bulbs (soft white, bright, etc)
- All lights and lamps should be turned on
- Turn all blinds open
- Ceiling fans should be turned off
- Toys can be staged or hidden away
- We usually hide floor mats and runners (there are exceptions)
- Hide valuables that shouldn't be shown off
- Hide pet bowls, beds, toys, etc
- Staging Idea: Fresh flowers
Living Areas
- Are we lighting the fireplace or firepit?
- Arrange furniture to look best (not necessarily for TV viewing)
- Fold blankets and fluff pillows
- Organize bookshelves
- Minimize nick-nacks
- Hide remotes/cables/non-essential power cords
- Organize bills/paperwork/etc. in the office
- Hide shoes and coat clutter
- Some family photos are good... but not too many
- Staging Idea: Stage a board game in the rec room
Dining Room
- A centerpiece is good for the table
- Straighten all chairs
- Remove highchairs or booster seats
- Staging Idea: Place settings (but not overwhelming)
Kitchen
- Hide trashcans
- Empty the sink
- Remove magnets and papers from the refrigerator
- Minimal countertop clutter
- Remove hand towels
- Staging Ideas: Hors d'oeuvres platter on the island, coffee or wine setting
Bedrooms
- Make the beds
- Hide dirty laundry
- Hide phone chargers and clutter from tables and dressers
- Clean visible items from under the bed
- Stage/hide kid's toys and books
- Staging Ideas: Book and reading glasses on the nightstand, coffee tray on the bed
Bathrooms
- Hide toiletries
- Clean mirrors
- Make sure the shower curtain looks clean
- Staging Idea: Robe and slippers next to the tub
Exterior
- Mow the lawn, rake the leaves, shovel the snow (driveway, sidewalks, patio, deck)
- Even in winter, set up all the patio furniture, umbrellas, etc.
- Remove empty or dead planters
- No vehicles should be parked within view of the camera (especially in the driveway)
- Hide trashcans
- Clean the pool
- Turn on water fountains or water features
- Staging: Potted flowers near the house, a pitcher of lemonade with glasses
Pro Tip
Decorating a home and staging a home for the camera aren't the same.
While standing in a room in person, you can appreciate the overall space but when your vision is limited to only what the image shows, your perception of the larger space is scaled down.
This is why a table with 4 or 5 items on it can look perfectly decorated in real life, but appear cluttered in a photograph.
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What happens next?
Every contract follows a unique timeline, but this is a basic idea of what to expect