Preparing Your Home For Photos
    Selling a Home

    Preparing Your Home For Photos

    Jun 06, 2018

    General Tips

    • Clean the whole house (vacuum carpet, sweep hard floors or mop if needed, clean counter tops, etc).
    • Turn all overhead lights and lamps ON. (Only if you are home - Please don’t leave them on all day)
    • Replace all burned out light bulbs & use bulbs of the same temperature - this can greatly effect color balance. (ALL incandescent or ALL compact fluorescent).
    • Turn all ceiling fans OFF.
    • Have all TVs and computer screens OFF.
    • Open blinds/window treatments to let in outside light.
    • Remove large personal photographs. Roughly 8x10 or smaller are fine.
    • Make all of the beds.
    • Remove small floor rugs to reveal actual flooring.
    • Place all shoes and jackets in closets.
    • Remove Holiday decorations. Inside and out.

    Exterior

    • Remove cars from driveway and front of home & close the garage doors.
    • Yard maintained (mow, trim shrubs, clear leaves) and remove empty planters.
    • Roll up or remove visible water hoses.
    • Remove toys, sports balls, basketball goals, soccer goals, etc.
    • Clean porch, tidy up outdoor tables/chairs/cushions.
    • Turn on any water features.
    • Pools should be cleaned, remove pool vacuum/cleaner hose, and hide the cleaning supplies.

    Kitchen

    • Clear counter tops of any clutter and remove any unnecessary small appliances. The coffee maker can stay, but hide the toaster, knife blocks, baking supplies, mail, etc.
    • Clear the outside of refrigerator of large magnets, papers, photos, etc.
    • Hide the garbage cans in a pantry or closet.
    • Remove any dishes from the sink, place in dishwasher.

    Living Room

    • Remove stacks of magazines, papers, mail, etc.
    • De-clutter fireplace mantel/hearth.
    • Clean interior of fireplace and re-paint if needed.
    • Fluff and arrange furniture pillows.
    • Remove kid's toys.

    Dining Room

    • Clear and clean the table top.
    • Use decorative place settings if available.
    • Choose carefully if you have a center decoration. 
    • Straighten the chairs and space them evenly.
    • Remove child seats or booster chairs.

    Master Suite

    • Make the bed, including decorative pillows and shams if available.
    • Clear nightstands of unnecessary personal items and store away phone/tablet charging cables.
    • Remove clutter from top of dressers.
    • Remove any large family photos from walls.
    • Organize large walk-in closets (Usually we won’t take photos inside but the door may be partially open).
    • Clean the bathroom - put the toothbrushes in the holder, hide the toothpaste and razors, clean the mirror, toilet seat down, clean the glass shower door or replace with a fresh curtain liner, etc.

    Other Bedrooms/Guest Rooms

    • Make the bed.
    • If possible, remove personal names from the walls.
    • Remove wall stickers or posters that may not be as appreciated or admired by others.
    • Put away toys and other personal belongings.
    • Straighten-up shelves, tops of dressers and desks.

    Bathrooms

    • Clear and tidy up the counter tops.
    • Put toilet seats down.
    • Close any closet and cupboard doors.
    • Clean the mirror and glass shower doors.
    • Remove shampoo and loofahs from showers and tubs.
    • Remove any dirty towels. Re-stock towel shelves or racks.

    Pets

    • Hide the food and water bowls in a pantry or closet.
    • Place pet beds and toys in pantry or closet
    • Use a lint roller on furniture to remove any sightly pet hair.
    • Try not to have the pets roaming around during photos. Have them in a kennel or outside.
    • Clear the yard of any pet waste or toys.