I'll be honest, I can fix a lot in post-production. I can brighten a room, straighten a horizon, even remove a small item from a counter. But I can't fix a house that wasn't prepped. And I definitely can't reshoot for free because the homeowner left laundry on the couch.

After shooting hundreds of listings across Orange County and LA, I've put together this prep checklist. Send it to your sellers before the shoot. Print it out. Tape it to their fridge. It will save us both time and make the listing look significantly better.

The Day Before the Shoot

Declutter Every Surface

Countertops, tables, nightstands, bathroom vanities. Clear them all. A few intentional items are fine (a fruit bowl on the kitchen island, a plant on the dining table), but the default should be empty. Buyers want to see the space, not someone else's stuff.

The fridge test: If it wouldn't be in a model home, remove it. Magnets, kids' art, takeout menus. All of it comes down.

Deep Clean

Floors should be mopped or vacuumed. Windows should be clean, especially sliding glass doors because they're going to be in almost every shot. Bathrooms need to look hotel-ready: toilet lids down, towels neatly hung or removed, no products on the shower ledge.

Clean, decluttered kitchen ready for real estate photography

Handle the Yard

Mow the lawn. Trim edges. Clear toys, hoses, and pool equipment from the yard. If the pool has a cover, remove it. If there's patio furniture, arrange it like you're staging an outdoor dining scene.

Curb appeal matters for photos too. Move trash cans to the side yard or garage. Clear the driveway. If there's a welcome mat that's seen better days, remove it.

The Morning of the Shoot

Turn On Every Light

Every single light in the house should be on. Lamps, overheads, under-cabinet lights, closet lights, exterior lights. Even in rooms I'm not shooting. Light layering makes rooms feel warm and inviting, and it gives me the best exposure blend between interior and window light.

Replace any burned-out bulbs. A dark recessed light in a row of five looks like a mistake. Also, try to match bulb temperatures. Mixing warm and cool bulbs in the same room creates color issues.

Open All Blinds and Curtains

We want maximum natural light. Pull blinds all the way up, not just open. Tie back curtains. If a window faces a neighbor's wall or an ugly view, we can handle that in editing, but I'd rather start with light.

Living room with all lights on and blinds open before a shoot

Remove Personal Items

Family photos, religious items, political signs, kids' names on bedroom doors. Anything that makes a buyer think "this is someone else's home" should be packed away. We want aspirational, not autobiographical.

Handle Pets

Pets need to be out of the house during the shoot, or at minimum secured in one room (preferably the garage). I love dogs. I really do. But a golden retriever following me from room to room adds 30 minutes to every shoot.

Also remove: pet beds, food bowls, litter boxes, and any visible pet hair on furniture.

Garage and Storage

If the listing highlights garage space, clear it enough to show at least one car could fit. Same for walk-in closets. They should look organized and spacious, not packed to the ceiling.

Small Details That Make a Big Difference

  • Toilet lids down in every bathroom
  • Ceiling fans off (they blur in photos and look distracting)
  • TV screens off (a black rectangle photographs better than whatever's on screen)
  • Fresh flowers on the kitchen island or dining table add a pop of color
  • Matching towels in bathrooms (white is safest)
  • Shoes by the front door, remove them
  • Trash cans, hide them, all of them
Staged bathroom with clean towels and cleared countertop

What If the House Isn't Staged?

Vacant homes photograph fine. Clean lines and empty rooms can actually look great with the right angles. But if the home is occupied and unstaged, prep becomes even more critical. A lived-in home with good prep will outperform a staged home that wasn't cleaned.

If you're debating whether to stage, focus on the living room, kitchen, and primary bedroom at minimum. These are the hero shots that stop the scroll on Zillow.

The Bottom Line

I typically schedule 60-90 minutes for a standard listing shoot. Good prep means I spend that time getting the best angles instead of moving laundry baskets and waiting for someone to wrangle their cat.

Send this checklist to your sellers 48 hours before the shoot. It's the easiest way to guarantee photos that actually sell the home.

Book a real estate photography session