Client Prep Guide · 2026
Getting Ready Guide — Preparing Your Home for Photo Day
Your complete room-by-room preparation guide for a professional real estate photography session. A prepared home photographs beautifully.
Nathan Leduc Media · Columbus, GA
Real estate agents: feel free to forward this page directly to your sellers — it's built to stand on its own, no account or login required.
Great photography starts with great preparation. Most homes need 4–6 hours of prep time. Start a week out for deep cleaning and any minor repairs, then do your final staging the day before. The checklist below covers every room — work through it systematically and your shoot will go smoothly.
Please have the home photo-ready when your photographer arrives. Our team isn’t able to move furniture, make beds, declutter, or put away personal items — though we’re always happy to allow a few minutes for last-minute touch-ups. A prepared home lets us spend our time on what we do best: making it look incredible.
Start Here · Your Prep Timeline
Prepare · Stage · Shine
What to do, and when
Work backward from shoot day. Deep cleaning and repairs take the longest, so start those first.
- 1 Week Before: Deep clean throughout. Schedule any minor repairs. Order fresh flowers or plants.
- 2–3 Days Before: Declutter every room. Donate, store, or box up excess items.
- Day Before: Final staging. Make all beds. Clear all countertops. Clean windows and mirrors.
- Morning Of: Walk through the house as a buyer would. Turn on all lights. Move all vehicles.
- At Shoot Time: Leave the property. Pets off-site. Lockbox or key ready for photographer.
What your photographer will not do: make beds or tidy rooms · remove personal items or clutter · pick up toys, laundry, or pet items · stage, style, or decorate rooms.
Whole-House Checklist
Complete these in every room before moving to room-specific items below.
- Turn ON every light — ceiling, lamps, under-cabinet, closet, exterior
- Replace every burned-out bulb
- Match bulb color temperature throughout (all warm white or all daylight)
- Turn OFF all ceiling fans
- Turn OFF all TVs and computer monitors
- Open all blinds and curtains fully
- Hide all visible electrical cords
- Remove all floor mats and area rugs throughout
- Remove all trash cans — put in garage or a closet
- Remove all personal photographs from walls and surfaces
- Remove all pet items — bowls, beds, toys, crates, litter boxes
- Remove all seasonal decorations (holiday items, flags, wreaths)
- Remove all remote controls (put in drawers)
- Clean all windows inside and out — streaks are very visible
- Clean all mirrors — no smudges or water spots
- Dust all surfaces and wipe baseboards
- Vacuum carpets and mop hard floors
- Put away all shoes, jackets, and bags from entryways
- Hide all laundry baskets
- Set thermostat to 68–72°F
Lighting — The Most Important Step
Read this one twice
Lighting is the single biggest factor in professional real estate photography. This checklist alone can dramatically improve your results.
- Turn on every single light source in the home
- All overhead ceiling lights — on
- All floor lamps and table lamps — on
- Under-cabinet kitchen lighting — on
- Closet lights — on
- Oven hood light — on
- All exterior lights (porch, garage, path lights, landscape) — on
- Turn OFF all ceiling fans — they cause blur in HDR photography
- Turn OFF all TVs and monitors — dark screens look bad in photos
- Replace every burned-out bulb before the shoot
- Use same color-temperature bulbs throughout each room — mixing warm and cool creates color casts
- Tilt mini-blinds slightly upward to bounce light toward the ceiling rather than creating glare
- For dark rooms: add a floor lamp pointing upward to brighten corners
Room-by-Room Checklists
Exterior
Exterior & curb appeal
- Remove ALL vehicles from driveway and street
- Ask neighbors to move cars from in front of the house
- Mow the lawn — do this the day before, not day of
- Edge walkways and driveway border
- Trim shrubs and bushes blocking windows
- Remove dead plants and pull all visible weeds
- Rake leaves and remove fallen limbs
- Add fresh mulch to flower beds
- Add fresh flowers to entry pots if needed
- Roll up and put away all garden hoses
- Sweep or pressure wash driveway and walkways
- Remove security yard signs temporarily
- Remove all seasonal decorations
- Check gutters — visible in drone shots
- Turn off all sprinkler systems
- Clean windowsills and exterior surfaces
- Wipe down exterior light fixtures
- Close garage door for exterior shots (unless discussed)
- Remove garbage cans, recycling, and compost bins from view
- Put away lawn equipment and yard tools
Front Door
Front door & porch
- Remove door wreaths, signs, and decorations — buyers are buying the door
- Remove front doormat (and back doormat)
- Sweep the porch and entryway completely
- Wipe down the front door surface, handle, and surrounding trim
- Make sure house numbers are clean, visible, and not obstructed
- Replace wilted potted plants with fresh flowers
- Clean cobwebs from porch ceiling and corners
- Straighten porch furniture and clean cushions
Backyard
Backyard & outdoor living
- Sweep or blow off deck, patio, and pool area
- Arrange outdoor furniture intentionally — clean and straighten
- Open all patio umbrellas
- Add fresh outdoor throw pillows to chairs
- Remove grill cover — open grill suggests entertaining
- Hide propane tanks and grilling accessories
- Remove pool toys, floats, and noodles
- Uncover and skim the pool — water must be clean
- Turn on all water features during the shoot
- Remove children's outdoor toys and sports equipment
- Remove garbage cans and recycling bins from view
- Put away lawnmowers, blowers, and yard tools
- Remove garden hoses or coil neatly
- Clear all pet waste from the yard
- Remove dog houses and outdoor kennels
- For twilight: turn on all string lights and landscape lighting
- For twilight: light fire pit if present
- Uncover hot tub; turn on jets for twilight shots
Kitchen
Kitchen
- Clear ALL countertops completely — every appliance, paper towel holder, mail, and dish rack. Coffee maker and knife block are OK to keep.
- Remove dish soap, sponges, and drying rack from sink area
- Clean the sink until it shines — no food residue, stains, or dishes
- Remove ALL items from the front and sides of the refrigerator — magnets, photos, calendars, artwork
- Clean all appliances — fingerprints show clearly on stainless steel
- Clean the stovetop and remove tea kettles, pot holders, and trivets
- Turn on the oven hood light for extra warmth
- Remove all visible dish towels from appliances and hooks
- Push in bar stools and dining chairs neatly
- Remove paper towel holder from counter
- Remove calendars — they date your listing
- Clear and wipe the backsplash
- If there is a kitchen table, clear it completely — a single low centerpiece is fine
Bedrooms
All bedrooms
This applies to every bedroom — primary, guest, and children's rooms.
- Make every single bed — including children's and guest rooms
- Use neutral or coordinating bedding if possible
- Smooth out all wrinkles in comforters and bedspreads
- Arrange pillows neatly — remove overcrowded extras
- Clear nightstands completely (one lamp + one simple accent max)
- Clear all items from dressers — no jewelry, toiletries, or personal items
- Remove personal photos from walls and dressers
- Put away all clothing and shoes — nothing on floors or chairs
- Make sure nothing is visible under the bed
- Organize walk-in closets: space out clothes, clear floors, straighten shelves
- Remove laundry baskets and any visible laundry
- Remove children's toys from view
- Close closet doors unless they are a selling feature
- Remove trash cans from all bedrooms
Bathrooms
All bathrooms
The goal is a hotel-like appearance. This applies to every bathroom in the home.
- Put ALL toilet seats AND lids down
- Clear the entire counter — toothbrushes, razors, hairdryers, all of it
- Remove shampoo, conditioner, and soap from shower and tub
- Clean shower glass until streak-free
- If tile is not clean, close shower curtain
- Clean mirrors — no water spots or smudges
- Wipe faucets and remove water spots and soap buildup
- Hang fresh, neatly folded matching towels (white or neutral photographs best)
- Remove all bath mats and toilet rugs from the floor
- Close medicine cabinet
- Remove toilet brush and trash can from view
- Place a fresh roll of toilet paper on the holder
- Clean grout if visible
- Remove all bottles, containers, and personal hygiene products
Home Office
Home office
- Clear the desk of all paperwork, files, and personal items
- Follow the "rule of three": no more than 3 items on any surface, at varied heights
- Hide all computer cables and power strips
- Turn off all computer monitors and screens
- Remove trash cans — put in garage or closet
- Tidy bookshelves: books are fine, remove excessive knickknacks
Dining Room
Dining room
- Clear the dining table completely
- Push all chairs in evenly
- Remove extra chairs if the table looks overcrowded
- A low centerpiece (flowers, candle grouping, or bowl of fruit) adds warmth — keep it simple
- Remove all clutter from sideboards and buffet tables
- Remove personal items, mail, and paperwork
Living Room
Living room / family room
- Remove all gaming equipment, controllers, DVDs, and electronics clutter
- Hide all electrical cords
- Remove books, magazines, newspapers, and coffee table clutter
- Arrange cushions and throw pillows neatly — keep the count minimal
- Remove children's toys
- Straighten all artwork on walls — check for crooked frames
- Reduce items on bookshelves — remove knickknacks and personal items
- One neatly folded throw blanket is fine — remove extras
- Clean the fireplace hearth; leave mantle simple (2–3 intentional items or bare)
- Move furniture away from the camera's foreground if it blocks room flow
Laundry Room
Laundry room
- Remove all laundry — nothing in machines, nothing in baskets
- Clear the tops of washer and dryer completely
- Close appliance doors
- Remove detergent, dryer sheets, and cleaning supplies from surface
- Remove floor mats
- Organize any visible shelving
Day-of Tips
You've done the hard work. Here's how to make the morning of the shoot seamless.
- Leave the property during the shoot. Photographers use wide-angle and HDR imaging that captures every corner. People moving through rooms end up in shots. An empty home produces faster, better results.
- Take pets with you — or crate them completely out of sight. Pets wander into shots and are very difficult to remove in post-processing.
- Do a final walk-through yourself first. Walk through as a buyer would. Ask a neighbor to walk through too — they will spot things you have become accustomed to, including pet odors.
- Move all vehicles before the photographer arrives. Park down the street. Ask neighbors to do the same if their cars face your home.
- Leave lockbox or key instructions clearly. If you won't be home, ensure your photographer knows how to secure the property when finished.
- All lights should already be on when they arrive. Save the photographer time — do a light check and turn on everything 10 minutes before they arrive.
- Reschedule willingly for bad weather. Exterior shots and drone flights cannot happen safely in rain or high wind. Trust your photographer's judgment — rescheduling always produces better results than pushing through.
Homes that are fully prepared typically photograph in less time, resulting in more shots and better quality images. Your preparation directly impacts your listing's first impression.