A few thoughts on clutter.
NO seriously. Clutter. There's no debating that a top goal for getting ready for a real estate photo shoot (or a showing) is to get rid of as much clutter as possible. But, is there such thing as going overboard in this endeavor? Maybe..... Here's something to ponder on this. Everyone's definition of clutter is slightly different. To some, the counters should be completely empty...no nothing..nada...bare. But remember professionoal staging services would never leave a counter barren. It looks starke, and not real, antiseptic even. Consider any movie ever made....they ALWAYS HAVE STUFF on the counters for every scene. The idea of making a room appear warm and lived in requires certain touches that we all have in our homes. Coffee makers....toasters, maybe a spice rack, or dare I say it a nice decorative towel strategically placed are all items that make a room look warm and homey. To remove all of them in the name of clutter, may be defeating the very pupose. You want viewers to identify with your property. Thats why many spend thousands to professionally stage their listings. So, you might wanna think twice about removing every single item from every counter or shelf in the home.
The key is...to find the right balance. Show enough "stuff" so it looks warm and inviting. But clean enough so it's appealing and fresh. Think of an ad for an Air BNB or VRBO rental listing. They all have a wide assortment of little goodies sprinkled throughtout the home to make thier viewers and vistors feel at home and WANT to stay there. Same thing for nicer hotels. And even articles in magazines like Southern Living, Illustrated properties, Better Homes and Gardens etc etc. Lets concentrate on picking up the actual mess. The clutter thats not appealing...dirty sox, used glasses and dishes, Dirty towels, Bags of snacks and other food should be put away. All evidence of pets should be stowed away. (lets face it some folks might be turned off by a dog or cat having been in "their house" to be.) The whole idea of a real estate photo shoot is to get people to take the next step....to actually come visit. No reason to show anything in the pictures that a person might feel hesitant about. We dont typically shoot closets and garages...so put it all in either. Stash stuff in the oven or dishwasher before your photograher gets there is a quick n easy solution. AVOID the notion of "moving boxes around" during the shoot. There simply isnt time. Frequently we are shooting both stills, video, and 360 images in the same room, so having to now juggle boxes multiple times is not gonna work. Consider getting ready for photo day, a dry run for what you're gonna have to do before hosting an actual buyer walking in for a showing, or even an open house.
Buyers are much more likely to see waterstained walls or ceilings as a problem than having a blender on the kitchen counter. Moldy grout in the tub is yuck....a towel is expected. buyers know people live there. Blinds broken? might wanna fix those rather than worry if the bed had 17 pillows artfully arranged. please.....remove hurricane shutters.
Sorry for the long story. Just be realistic in the level of de cluttering you want your clients to have to undergo...remember they are very stressed out and are still living there. prioritize efforts in this area and lets solve the big problems first. If you still feel its vital to have every room and counter be spotless, then we are happy to accommodate that on photo day. So please ensure the sellers have it "staged" to the level you desire before we get there, as we typicallly have several listings to shoot on a schedule, and while we dont mind helping out, we can only do so much in the time alloted for your listing to be photographed, in all the ways we might need to accomplish.
Oh, and we do also offer virtual "cleaning" as well. So it's not the end of the world if the sellers might not have done all that you ask come photo day. Lets all work together and make the property look the best it can.
Best
