Get Your House Photo Ready

A tip to start:

The main areas (living room, dining room, kitchen, master bedroom and bath) will usually have more than one photo. Stand at each corner of the room and look over everything. If the room looks busy/crowded, remove items. If you have a lamp on a table blocking your view, remove it. Do you see items sticking out from under beds or couches? Remove it.

Pets:

Because other real estate photographers have gotten bitten by dogs and equipment peed on, please do your best to lock up your dog while I am there. They also risk being in photos and I cannot Photoshop them out.

Pet kennels, toys and food bowls. Hide them.

Cats are sneaky and can appear in photos unexpectedly. Please restrain cats to a room and it can photograph it last.

Hide the cat box, if possible.

Wipe down doors where pets have clawed the door. The dirt will show up in photos.

For all rooms:

Declutter - minimize the stuff in every room. Throw it away, hide it or put it in a box and move it to the garage.

Make sure all light fixtures have light bulbs in them. It’s best if they all are the same temperature, ie, all white or all yellow.

Turn on lights

Turn off ceiling fans

Tilt blinds open

Dust

Hide/lock up guns

Outside the house

Move cars out of driveway and do not park in front of the house.

Hide trash cans. If they can't be hidden move then to the side or back of house.

Tidy up patio areas. Arrange any chairs as if people were going to hang out.

Weed landscaping. Add fresh mulch, if possible.

Remove empty pots or fill them with flowers.

Pick up kids and dog toys.

Swimming Pools & Patio Areas

Declutter

Straighten patio furniture and cushions. Tuck cushion strings under cushions.

Hide pool toys/floaties or put them in a neat pile where they aren't the main focus as you come of the house.

Pool vacuums. Hide them and taken hoses out of pool. Once I arrive they have to stay in the pool as taking them out will leave water all over the patio. This is not good for photos.

Entry - The first room you see when you walk in a door.

Declutter

For lockers or cubbie areas, clean them out or minimize what is in the area.

Living Room & Hearth Rooms

Declutter

Remove tissues and non-decorative items off tables.

Fluff pillows. Remove pillows if too many.

Hide remotes

If room is crowded, remove furniture

Minimize decor around the fireplace and mantle

Hide or neatly place remote controls

Kitchen

Declutter

Remove refrigerator magnets

Remove almost everything off counters

Hide paper towels

Hide trash can

Remove towels hanging from oven and sink area

Empty sinks and put strainers in sink

For an example of a kitchen ready for photos check out my page, Kitchen - Before and After

Dining Room

Declutter

Minimize things on top of table or stage place settings

Master Bedroom

Declutter

Remove all kids items

Remove bed pet steps

Hide charging cables

Neatly place remotes

Bathrooms

Declutter

Remove/hide bathroom products

Neatly fold towels. A tri-fold is best so no edges show.

Remove rugs

Remove accessories if they don’t match.

Remove any soap dispensers if they are not the decorative kind.

Remove product from shower if it can be through glass.

Bedrooms

Declutter

Make beds without wrinkles and prop up pillows

Neatly organize everything

Minimize items on dressers

Office

Declutter

Clean off desks

Minimize books on shelves.

Books can be placed from largest to smallest.

Laundry Room

Declutter

Remove items off washer and dryer.

Organize products neatly on shelves.

Bonus/Kids Playrooms

Declutter and remove as much as possible.

Organize and neatly place all items in the room.

Closets

For very large walk in closets tidy them up. Big closets are a selling point so its great if they can be photographed.

Miscellaneous

Dirty wood floors do photograph dirty. Use a dust mop to quickly get up dirt.

Generally dirt and blemishes are not very noticeable on walls but for really dirty areas wipe down or use a Magic Eraser to clean them up.

Clean extremely dirty windows. Smudges show up in photos.

Area rugs, small rugs and welcome mats. If you have beautiful flooring, remove rugs to show off the flooring.