INSIDE THE HOUSE
-Declutter as much as possible. Put away toys, clothing, dishes, towels, shoes, etc. It’s a lot cheaper to put these things away before the photo shoot than to pay to have the photos “Photoshopped”.
-Depersonalized to a certain degree. Photos of young children and any potentially offensive art (believe me, I’ve seen it all!) should be put away.
-Remove any seasonal/holiday decorations that can quickly outdate your photos.
-Dust and vacuum.
-Make all the beds, fluff all the pillows, and check the bed skirts.
-Clean the kitchen sink and put away all the dishes.
-Clear all kitchen countertops and put away toasters, can openers, etc.
-Clear all bathroom countertops and put away all personal items.
-Remove all shampoos, conditioners, body washes, etc. from the shower.
-Put out the guest towels and hide all the others.
-Hide all trash cans.
-Remove all magnets and decorations from the refrigerator.
-If there are pets, hide all food/water bowls, pet beds, and pet toys.
-Put all toilet seats and lids down.
-Replace all burned-out light bulbs.
-Consider decorating the tables with your prettiest place settings.
-Consider putting out vases of fresh flowers.
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE
-Have the lawn trimmed, leaves raked, bushes, and trees pruned.
-Clean up after any animal
-Put away all garbage cans, hoses, garden tools, toys, bikes, etc.
-Hide any “cute” yard decorations.
-In snowy climates, shovel snow from walkways, driveways, patios, and decks when necessary.
-If there is a pool, hot tub, or spa, take any security gate down, uncover, and clean.
-If there will be any twilight photos taken, replace any broken lighting on the home, around the landscape, and in the pool.
-Open the umbrellas on any patio sets.
-When in season, uncover grills.
-Remove any seasonal/holiday decorations.
-Consider adding splashes of bright-colored flowers to the landscape and in pots.
RIGHT BEFORE THE PHOTOGRAPHER ARRIVES
-Turn on ALL interior lights – even lights in furniture cabinets.
-Turn OFF all ceiling fans.
-Light fireplaces and candles.
-Open all blinds, shades, and curtains.
-Clear all cars and vehicles from the driveway and the street in front of the home.
-Please secure any potentially aggressive animals in a safe location, away from all rooms being photographed.