How to Prepare Your Home for Real Estate Photography: The Complete Room-by-Room Guide

The Room-by-Room Preparation Checklist

Work through the home one room at a time in the day or two before your shoot. Almost none of this costs money — it costs attention. Agents are welcome to send this checklist directly to sellers.

Every Room, Before Anything Else

• Turn on every light and replace burnt-out bulbs — dark fixtures create dead spots that cannot be fixed in editing
• Open all blinds, shades, and curtains to their full height
• Turn off every ceiling fan — moving blades photograph as a blur
• Clear floors completely: shoes, toys, laundry baskets, pet beds, charging cables
• Remove family photos, diplomas, and anything with a name or address visible
• Clean the inside of windows in every room that will be photographed

Kitchen

• Clear the counters entirely, including the coffee maker and toaster — empty counter reads as more space
• Remove dish racks, sponges, soap bottles, and towels from the sink area
• Strip the refrigerator of magnets, artwork, and calendars
• Wipe fingerprints off stainless steel with a microfiber cloth
• Move the trash can out of the room for the duration of the shoot
• Leave one or two simple accents — a bowl of fruit, a small plant, a cutting board

Living Room and Family Room

• Remove remotes, magazines, tissue boxes, and piled blankets
• Straighten and fluff cushions and throw pillows
• Route visible cords behind furniture or along baseboards
• Clean fireplace glass and clear ash from the hearth
• Pull furniture a few inches off the walls if the room feels tight — it reads as more depth

Bedrooms

• Make every bed with clean, wrinkle-free linens and squared corners
• Clear nightstands down to a lamp — no books, glasses, water, or chargers
• Clear the top of every dresser
• Close closet doors unless the closet is a genuine selling feature
• Remove all laundry and hampers from view

Bathrooms

• Clear every toiletry off counters, the shower ledge, and the tub surround
• Hang fresh, matching towels — folded evenly, not the ones in daily use
• Polish mirrors until streak-free; they show every smudge at high resolution
• Close all toilet lids
• Remove worn or mismatched bath mats — bare tile usually photographs better
• Scrub soap scum from glass shower doors

Dining Room and Entry

• Clear the dining table completely or set it simply with a centerpiece
• Push every chair in and space them evenly
• Empty the entry of shoes, coats, backpacks, and mail
• Straighten any runner or entry rug

Home Office, Laundry, and Garage

• Clear the desk to a monitor, a notepad, and perhaps a small plant
• Hide power strips, paperwork, and anything with personal information
• Clear laundry room counters and close washer and dryer doors
• Sweep the garage floor and stack stored items neatly against one wall

Questions about the shoot itself — whether to leave lights on, what to do with pets, how long it takes, whether you need to be there? Those are answered individually on our home preparation questions page.