How to Prepare Your Home for a Photo Shoot

Great real estate photos start before the photographer arrives — the single biggest thing you can do to make a home photograph beautifully is clean it thoroughly, declutter every surface, and turn on every light. A prepared home shoots faster, needs less editing, and looks brighter and larger in the final images. This checklist walks a Toronto or GTA seller through exactly what to do in the 24 hours before the camera shows up, room by room, so the listing looks its absolute best online.

The goal of every step below is the same: help buyers picture themselves living there. That means removing the traces of your daily life and letting the architecture, light, and space do the selling.

The day before: deep clean and declutter

Cleaning is non-negotiable — the camera magnifies grime that the eye forgives. Focus on the surfaces that catch light: windows, mirrors, glass shower doors, stainless appliances, and countertops. Streaky windows are one of the most common reasons a photo needs extra editing, especially in winter when low sun rakes across the glass.

• Wash interior and exterior windows and wipe down all mirrors.
• Clear every countertop, in the kitchen and bathrooms, down to one or two intentional items.
• Remove personal clutter — mail, chargers, remotes, kids' and pets' items.
• Tidy landscaping: mow the lawn, rake leaves, shovel and salt walkways in winter, and hide hoses, bins, and garden tools.
• Stow trash and recycling bins out of sight, including from exterior and drone angles.

The morning of: light and reset

Photographers balance a room's interior light with the brighter view through the windows, so the more real light you let in, the better. Open every curtain and blind, and turn on every light in the house — including closets, range hoods, and under-cabinet lighting. Replace any burnt-out or mismatched bulbs the day before; a room with one warm bulb and one cool bulb is a colour-correction headache that shows in the final image.

• Open all curtains, blinds, and shades fully.
• Turn on every light and replace dead or mismatched bulbs.
• Remove cars from the driveway and, ideally, from directly in front of the house.
• Make every bed with clean, neutral bedding and straighten pillows.
• Clear kitchen and bathroom counters completely, and close all toilet lids.

Room by room

Kitchen: This is the room buyers scrutinize most. Clear the counters entirely except for a bowl of fresh fruit or a simple styled item, hide dish soap and sponges, and remove magnets, notes, and photos from the fridge.

Living areas: Fluff and square the couch cushions, straighten throw blankets, and remove excess furniture that makes rooms feel cramped. Fewer, well-placed pieces read as more spacious on camera.

Bedrooms: Beds made, nightstands cleared to a lamp and maybe a book, closet doors closed, and floors clear of shoes and laundry.

Bathrooms: Remove all toiletries, toothbrushes, and bath mats, hang fresh matching towels, and close the toilet lid — every time.

Exterior: Sweep the porch and walkway, set out a couple of clean planters if you have them, and clear toys, hoses, and seasonal debris. Curb appeal is the first photo most buyers see.

The five things photographers wish sellers did

1. Declutter more than feels necessary. Rooms always look busier through a wide lens than they do to your eye.
2. Fix the lighting the night before, so the morning isn't a scramble for matching bulbs.
3. Corral pets and their gear — bowls, beds, litter boxes, and toys — off-site or in one closed room.
4. Confirm what's being shot. If you're adding drone exteriors, a 3D tour, or a cinematic videography walkthrough, the whole house — not just the front rooms — needs to be shoot-ready.
5. Leave the styling to natural touches: fresh flowers, a set dining table, and a fruit bowl read as inviting; heavy props read as staging gone wrong.

If a room simply can't be furnished or a dated space is dragging down the set, virtual staging can add furniture digitally after the shoot from $39.99 per image — but it works best on top of a clean, well-photographed empty room, so the prep above still matters.

FAQ

How long before the shoot should I start preparing?
Start the day before with a deep clean and decluttering, then reserve the morning of the shoot for light-and-reset tasks: opening blinds, turning on lights, making beds, and clearing counters. Rushing everything into the final hour almost always leaves streaky windows or dead bulbs in the photos.

Should I turn the lights on for the photos?
Yes — turn on every light in the house, including closets, range hoods, and under-cabinet fixtures, and open all blinds. Real light helps the photographer balance the room against the bright windows and makes the space feel warm and larger.

What should I remove before a real estate photo shoot?
Take out personal clutter and anything that dates the space to you: family photos, fridge magnets, toiletries, pet bowls and toys, mail, chargers, and stray shoes or laundry. The aim is a clean, neutral home buyers can imagine as their own.

Do I still need to prep if I'm getting virtual staging?
Yes. Virtual staging adds furniture to a clean, well-lit empty room — it can't fix grime, clutter, or bad lighting. Prep the home fully first, then add virtual staging from $39.99 per image where a room needs furnishing. See transparent pricing for the full menu.