You're getting this first because you're already here — and that means something. Next week I'm running the Booked At First Glance Sprint. Five days, 45 minutes each morning at 11am, and by Friday you'll have a hero area and a moments spot that are genuinely scroll-stopping. (Yes, there will be replays) Here's what we're doing day by day: - Day 1 — Your Boutique Host Era. We start with mindset and your cover photo. How do you want guests to feel the moment they land on your listing? - Day 2 — Style = ££. We look at what your current photos are actually saying — and what they could be saying instead. We'll work out your money target too. - Day 3 — Sofa and Bed Glow-Up. You pick one hero area — living room sofa or main bedroom — and we transform how it looks on camera. - Day 4 — Switch On the Cosy. Lighting. The thing that makes the difference between a photo that looks flat and one that makes someone stop scrolling. - Day 5 — Little Moments, Big Wow. We create one styled moments spot that gives your listing that "ooooh" factor. Then we plan your mini shoot. Everything sits inside my CURATE Framework — the method I've spent 11 years developing for holiday lets that book. This week is your first taste of it. Your founding friend price: £17. This closes in 48 hours before I open it to everyone else at £37. GRAB YOUR SPOT FOR £17 → https://buy.stripe.com/28EaEYaLha1V4O36ghaEE02 Come with your listing open and your planner printed. See you Monday at 11am. Helen x

So this week, I asked AI to pull up a batch of underperforming properties from across the country. No names, no shame. Just honest eyes on what's holding bookings back. And oh my goodness. The things I saw. A toilet seat up in the listing photos. Cushions that looked like they'd been lobbed onto the bed from across the room. A Star Wars(?) ceiling light above traditional damask upholstery (I have questions). A kitchen floor that hasn't been updated since the late 80s sitting underneath what are otherwise lovely Yorkshire views. This is the stuff that costs you bookings. Not lack of square footage, not location, not even price. It's the small decisions that stack up and quietly tell guests "this property isn't quite right" before they've even consciously registered why. So I've decided to make this a weekly thing. 👀 Every week I'll pick a handful of listings that aren't performing as well as they should be, and I'll walk through exactly what I'd fix and why. The goal isn't to embarrass anyone. It's to give you a set of fresh eyes on what guests are actually seeing, so you can apply it to your own place. This week we looked at properties in Northumberland, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and Torquay. Some were national company listings with decent reviews but easily fixable design issues. Others had beautiful bones buried under a series of small, avoidable mistakes. Check out the replay below.. A few things that came up again and again: - White bedlinen. Every time. It's not boring, it's smart. It signals cleanliness and lets your styling do the work. - Rugs that are too small. A floating rug in the middle of a room does the opposite of what you want. Go big or go home. - Artwork that's the wrong scale for the wall. One small print on a big wall looks like an afterthought. - Photos taken at the wrong time of day. Harsh afternoon shadows will tank an otherwise beautiful space. Book your shoot for May or June, morning light, and if your management company offers a reshoot, use it.

I’ll be hosting the weekly Holiday Let Design Clinic tomorrow morning and I’d love to review a few listings. If you’d like some friendly feedback on your property, drop your cover photo or listing link below and I may include it in the session. We’ll look at things like: • what guests tend to notice first • how your cover photo is performing • small design upgrades that can make a listing feel more premium The aim is always practical, supportive feedback that can help improve first impressions and bookings. Even if you can’t attend live, I’ll post the replay afterwards so you can still watch the reviews. If you’d like your listing considered, share it below 👇

Replay: 3 design tweaks that make your listing look instantly more premium ✨ Thanks for joining today’s Booked at First Glance Studio. The big idea: most holiday lets don’t lose bookings because they’re awful, they lose bookings because they look unclear in photos. Holiday lets should feel better than the average home, not fussy, just more considered. ✅ Here’s what we covered (quick recap): 1. Cohesion (theme wins) 2. Scale (bigger reads boutique) 3. Lighting (flat photos = fewer clicks) Bonus: Your Hero Shot is the cover of your book. Lead with your best space, add depth, remove clutter, and give the eye one clear focal point. 📸 Want to do this properly, with a plan (and a bit of accountability)? I’m opening a small founding cohort for my new sprint: Booked at First Glance. It will be paid once it’s public, but I’m giving it FREE to the first 5 people who put their hand up by Friday. In return I’ll ask for honest feedback and, if you’re happy, a quick testimonial or before-and-after. If you want one of the 5 spots: 👉 DM me “SPRINT” and tell me whether you’re live (send your listing link) or not live yet (send 3–5 photos). Let’s make it bookable. ✨✅

Today’s quick recap: Booked-at-First-Glance fixes ✨ 1. Hero shot: ditch wide-angle chaos, pick one focal point and shoot it clean, with a bit of depth. 2. Scale: bigger rugs + bigger art = instantly more premium (no tiny ‘floating island’ rugs). 3. Light: curtains high and wide, maximise daylight, add blinds for privacy and sheers if you can. 4. Arrival flow: obvious Wi-Fi, key drop spot, boot/buggy zone, dirt-trapping runner, auto outdoor lighting. 5. 5★ friction killers: luggage racks, loads of hangers, makeup towels, bathroom shelves, enough crockery and glasses, simple instructions (QR codes help). If you want help applying this to your listing, DM me and I’ll point you to your quickest win ✅