Preparing Your Home for a Photo Shoot: A Room-by-Room Checklist

The best thing you can do for your listing photos happens before we arrive. A camera sees everything: the stack of mail, the dish rack, the one bulb that burned out last winter. We can fix some of it in editing, but a clean, ready house always photographs better and the shoot goes faster.

Here is the checklist we send to homeowners, agents and property managers. Most of it takes an afternoon.

The whole house

Clean and stage every room as well as you can. Clear clutter off counters, tables and shelves. Hide cords, chargers and remotes. Put away pet beds, bowls and toys.

Replace any burned-out bulbs, and try to match them. A single cool-white bulb in a room of warm ones shows up in the photos. You do not need to turn the lights on before we arrive. We set the lighting room by room as we shoot.

Kitchen

Clear the counters almost completely. One or two simple things is plenty: a bowl of lemons, a cutting board, a vase. Put away the dish soap, sponges, towels on the oven handle, and everything on the fridge door.

Wipe down stainless steel and stone. Fingerprints and water spots show up in a well-lit photo.

Glass

If you only have time for one thing, clean the glass. Windows, glass doors, shower glass and mirrors, inside and out where you can reach. Fingerprints, water spots and dog-nose smudges catch the light and are the hardest thing to fix in editing. Clean glass is also what lets the view through, and in the mountains the view is often the point.

Bathrooms

Toilet seats down. Clear out toiletries, razors, bath mats and shower caddies. Fresh folded towels if you have them, white if possible.

Bedrooms

Make the beds tight and smooth, with the pillows fluffed. Clear the nightstands down to a lamp and maybe a book. Close the closet doors and make sure nothing is peeking out from under the bed.

Outside

Move cars out of the driveway, and off the street in front if you can. Put away hoses, tools, toys, and trash and recycling bins. Sweep the entry and the decks. In winter, shovel the walks and clear snow off outdoor furniture.

If the home has a hot tub, take the cover off and make sure the water is clear. If we are shooting twilight, check beforehand that every exterior and landscape light works.

On the day

We work room by room, setting the lights and blinds as we go. It is easiest if the house is empty, or if everyone gathers in a room we have already finished. If something cannot be moved, just tell us. We can usually shoot around it or take it out in editing.

For second homes and vacation rentals, a property manager or cleaner can handle almost all of this the day before. Feel free to send them this page.