So, the time has come for your home to feature in a photoshoot!

I’ve designed this guide for getting everything ready to go to ensure that your home looks as stunning as possible.

Following these simple steps to stage your home can add a huge amount of value to your photos, with the added bonus of leaving it spick and span (at least until the kids come home).

A little preparation for your shoot can go a long way.

Step one: de-clutter

In preparation for the shoot, tidy all surfaces up by removing any clutter (magazines, papers, knick- knacks). You don’t need to leave every surface spotless, but try and tuck away any unsightly collections of clutter.

For the bathrooms, make sure that you remove your shampoo and soap bottles from the shower, and take out your toothbrush. For the bedrooms, make sure that all laundry is put away and the beds are made and smoothed out.

Having one or two items on display on desks and tables is ideal for photos - place an open book on the coffee table, or a bowl of fruit on the kitchen island - anything that adds a splash of colour to the scene.

It always pays to give bedrooms the hotel treatment, too - consider placing some folded towels on the corner of the beds, and make sure the pillows are sitting nicely, and so on.

Step two: de-personalise

These photos are going to show off your magnificent home to the world! But with that in mind, it pays to remove any personal items like family photos, drawings, and clothing, and leave just the essentials.

Step three: check your mirrors and showers

If you’re having your bathrooms photographed as a part of the shoot, have a quick look to make sure that there are no smudges on the mirrors, or anything like that. Along with this, try not to use the shower less than an hour before the shoot, as the water droplets will still be there in the photos. If you still need to, just give it a quick wipe down with a cloth afterwards.