If we ever end up on a Zoom call together, just for the record, this is not my house! It is my taller, better-looking, more affluent doppleganger who resides in Copenhagen or some such. I use this to hide the clutter and if I’m truthful, kind of meh background in my study.

Here’s the thing. In this post COVID-19, always on, Zoom fatigued era, one of the nice things has been to be able to see people’s homes and how it subtly humanizes everybody. When you use a fake, let’s say aspirational background like the one above, it doesn’t really scream “this is me.”

The challenge is with a full house, more meetings than ever, and overall fatigue, who has time to constantly keep an immaculate background for their coworkers/clients/audience? I know I don’t.

But there is a super EZPZ solution that give you the best of both worlds - real you and tidy you.

Step 1. Clean up the area in your background

Step 2. Take a photo, matching what your video camera would show

Step 3. Use this photo of your own, immaculately clean and tidy house as your new, permanent virtual background

Step 4. Never worry about having to clean that area before a call again!

Let your close friends know the secret of your success. No one else has to know!