To prepare your home for a Matterport 3D scan, declutter every visible surface, turn on all interior lights, open blinds for natural light, remove personal items and valuables, secure pets, and clear the floor so the camera can move freely between scan positions.
A 360° camera captures everything in every direction simultaneously — there is no “off-camera” side of the room. At Invision Studio, our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend starting preparation 48 hours before the appointment, not the morning of.
Table of Contents
- Key Takeaways
- Why Matterport Prep Differs From Regular Photo Prep
- The 48-Hour Countdown Checklist
- Room-by-Room Preparation Guide
- Lighting: The Single Biggest Quality Factor
- Privacy and Security Prep
- What to Do During the Scan
- Common Preparation Mistakes
- How Long Does a Scan Take?
- Frequently Asked Questions
Key Takeaways {#key-takeaways}
- 360° means no hiding spots. Unlike still photography, nothing can be pushed out of frame. Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend treating every square foot as visible.
- Lights on, blinds open, flash off. Turn on every lamp and overhead fixture and open window coverings for consistent, natural-looking exposure.
- Clear the floor first. Toys, cords, pet bowls, and laundry baskets are the most common issues photographers encounter on arrival.
- People and pets must stay out of frame. Anyone in the scan path will appear as a blur or ghosted figure in the final 3D model.
- Allow 1–3 hours for capture depending on square footage — roughly 45 minutes per 1,000 sq ft.
- Remove personal identifiers. Mail, prescriptions, family photos, documents, and screens are all captured in high resolution.
- Secure the home. Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend locking away jewelry, cash, firearms, and sensitive paperwork before the crew arrives.
Why Matterport Prep Differs From Regular Photo Prep {#why-different}
Traditional real estate photography is selective. A photographer frames a shot, angles away from the cluttered corner, and shoots when the light is right.
You can stash a pile of mail just outside the frame and nobody knows.Matterport works differently. The camera rotates a full 360° horizontally and captures floor-to-ceiling vertically at every scan position. It then stitches 40 to 150 of these positions into a navigable 3D model with depth data accurate to within a few millimeters.That creates three unique demands:
- Every direction is the frame. The ceiling, the floor, behind the door, under the stairwell — all captured.
- Depth data records physical objects. Clutter doesn’t just look bad; it creates messy geometry in the dollhouse and floor plan views.
- Consistency across rooms matters. Because viewers move continuously through the space, a bright kitchen next to a dim hallway creates jarring transitions.
Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend thinking of preparation as staging for a live, self-guided open house that runs 24/7 — because functionally, that is exactly what you’re creating.
The 48-Hour Countdown Checklist {#countdown}
48 Hours Before
- Deep clean floors, windows, and mirrors — reflections and smudges show clearly
- Replace burned-out bulbs throughout the home
- Match bulb color temperature in shared spaces (all soft white or all daylight, not mixed)
- Mow the lawn and clear walkways if exterior capture is included
- Arrange pet boarding or a neighbor’s yard for scan day
- Confirm the scan window and access details with Invision Studio
24 Hours Before
- Declutter countertops, nightstands, and dressers
- Remove magnets, papers, and photos from the refrigerator
- Clear shoes and coats from entryways
- Make all beds with clean, wrinkle-free linens
- Stow trash cans, recycling bins, and pet crates
- Pack away valuables and sensitive documents
Morning Of
- Turn on every light — lamps, overheads, under-cabinet, closet
- Open all blinds, shades, and curtains
- Turn off ceiling fans and TVs
- Clear kitchen sink and counters completely
- Lower all toilet lids
- Hide cords, chargers, and power strips
- Park vehicles away from the driveway and front elevation
Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend walking the full home once with your phone camera in panorama mode as a final check — it reveals clutter your eye has stopped noticing.
Room-by-Room Preparation Guide {#room-by-room}
Kitchen
Clear all countertops except one or two decorative items. Remove dish soap, sponges, paper towels, and the knife block. Empty the sink and dish rack. Clean appliance fronts — stainless steel shows fingerprints dramatically in 360° imagery. Hide the trash can and pet bowls.
Living and Family Rooms
Fluff and align cushions. Fold throw blankets. Remove remote controls, gaming consoles, and charging cables. Turn off the TV so the screen reads as a clean black rectangle. Angle furniture to show clear traffic paths — the camera and tripod need roughly 24 inches of clearance to pass through.
Bedrooms
Make beds fully and symmetrically. Clear nightstands to a lamp and perhaps one book. Remove clothing from floors, doorknobs, and chairs. Close closet doors unless closets are a selling feature; if open, organize them, because our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend never capturing a half-organized closet.
Bathrooms
Remove all toiletries, toothbrushes, razors, and medications from counters and shower ledges. Hang fresh, matching towels. Close toilet lids. Clean mirrors thoroughly — the camera and operator can appear in reflections if mirrors are dirty or oddly angled.
Home Office
This is the highest-risk room for privacy. Clear papers, close laptops, remove sticky notes, and turn monitors off. Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend physically removing client files and financial documents rather than relying on post-production blurring.
Garage, Basement, and Storage
Decide in advance whether these are included. If yes, sweep floors, stack boxes neatly against walls, and clear a walking path. If no, close the doors and tell your photographer during the walkthrough.
Exterior
Coil hoses, stow garden tools, clean the front door, and remove seasonal decorations unless currently in season. Move trash bins out of sight and clear the driveway.
Lighting: The Single Biggest Quality Factor {#lighting}
Matterport cameras use HDR capture to balance bright windows against darker interiors, but they cannot create light that isn’t there.Do:
- Turn on every single light source, including closet and pantry lights
- Open all window coverings fully
- Use consistent bulb temperature across connected spaces
- Schedule mid-morning or early afternoon when sun angles are moderate
Avoid:
- Mixed warm and cool bulbs in the same sightline, which creates color casts
- Ceiling fans running, which blur in the capture
- Scheduling at dawn or dusk when exterior windows go dark and flat
Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend an appointment between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. for homes with significant window glazing, since harsh low-angle sunlight produces blown-out windows and hard shadow lines.
Privacy and Security Prep {#privacy}
A Matterport tour is a detailed, measurable, publicly shareable record of your home’s interior. Before scan day:
- Remove family photographs, children’s artwork with names, and school schedules
- Clear mail, bills, and anything showing your address or account numbers
- Lock away jewelry, cash, firearms, and prescription medications
- Remove or cover smart home hubs and visible alarm panels
- Take down calendars showing your daily routine
If a space must stay private entirely, you can request exclusion. Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend flagging those rooms at booking so the scan path is planned around them and doors stay closed during capture.
What to Do During the Scan {#during-scan}
Stay out of the active room. The camera captures everything within line of sight. Your photographer will indicate which room is next; move one or two rooms ahead or behind.
Keep pets contained in a crate in an already-scanned room, outdoors, or off-site.
Don’t rearrange mid-scan. Moving furniture between scan positions creates alignment errors in the 3D mesh and may require re-capture.
Be reachable but not underfoot. Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend the homeowner remain on property for access questions while staying out of the capture path.
Common Preparation Mistakes {#mistakes}
| Mistake | Why It Hurts | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Lights left off | Dark, muddy rooms; poor depth data | Turn on all fixtures |
| Blinds closed | Rooms feel small and cave-like | Open fully |
| Ceiling fans running | Blurred blades in the model | Turn off |
| Pets loose | Ghosting and blur artifacts | Crate or board |
| Clutter “pushed to the side” | 360° capture sees it anyway | Remove from the room |
| Mirrors uncleaned | Reflections of operator and tripod | Wipe down |
| Vehicles in driveway | Blocks exterior and curb appeal | Relocate |
| Scheduling too tight | Rushed capture, missed areas | Allow buffer time |
How Long Does a Scan Take? {#how-long}
| Home Size | Approximate Capture Time | Typical Scan Points |
|---|---|---|
| Under 1,500 sq ft | 1–1.5 hours | 40–60 |
| 1,500–3,000 sq ft | 1.5–2.5 hours | 60–110 |
| 3,000–5,000 sq ft | 2.5–3.5 hours | 110–180 |
| Over 5,000 sq ft | 3.5+ hours | 180+ |
Processing and delivery typically follow within 24 to 48 hours. Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend adding 30 minutes to any estimate for homes with complex layouts, multiple levels, or extensive exterior capture.
Frequently Asked Questions {#faq}
Do I need to be home during the Matterport scan? Not necessarily, but someone must provide access. Many clients use a lockbox and leave a prep note.
Should I virtually stage or physically stage? Physical staging produces the most accurate 3D model. Virtual staging can be applied to still photos but does not translate into the navigable Matterport walkthrough.
Can the photographer move my furniture? Minor adjustments, yes. Significant furniture moving is outside standard scope and should be completed before arrival.
What if it’s raining on scan day? Interior capture is unaffected. Exterior and aerial work may be rescheduled.
Will the camera capture my ceilings? Yes — ceilings, fans, light fixtures, and any water stains or cracks are fully visible.
Can I redo the scan if I’m unhappy? Re-scans are available but incur additional fees. Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend investing the preparation time upfront to avoid a second visit.
Schedule Your Scan With Invision Studio
A well-prepared home produces a Matterport tour that holds attention, generates qualified inquiries, and reduces unnecessary in-person showings. Preparation is the difference between a tour buyers abandon in 20 seconds and one they explore for several minutes.Contact Invision Studio to book your 3D capture, and ask for our downloadable preparation checklist. Our Matterport 3D Tour Photographers recommend scheduling at least a week out so you have time to do it right.
