Photo Shoot Checklist

The Basics

Interior Home Prep

Kitchen:
A few items on the counters are usually fine; however, I suggest removing the following:
  All Dishes
  Soap Dispensers
  Sponges
  Rags
  Drying Racks
  All Magnets, Pictures, etc. from the refrigerator
  Throw Rugs / Standing Mats
  Anything on top of the refrigerator
  Unsightly / Decomposing Fruit
  Phone Chargers
  Trash Cans

Bathrooms:
  Toothpaste
  Toothbrushes
  Razors
  Hair Dryers
  Phone Chargers
  All Personal Items
  Floor Rugs (Unless they match with other decor)
  Item in showers with glass doors. (Even if the item is obscured, the color and shape will still appear in photos and look visually distracting.)

Bedrooms: All bedrooms should have their beds made and items put away.

Laundry Rooms:
  Soaps from sink
  Mops & Brooms
  Baskets and Garbage Cans
  Cleaning Products
  Detergents and Dryer Sheets

General Home Prep:
  Trash Cans: Trash cans can distract so it’s best to hide all of them in closets or the garage.
  Clear entryways: Remove all shoes, umbrellas, and similar items from entryways.
  Turn off ceiling fans: Before I arrive, please make sure all ceiling fans are turned off.
  Remove children / pet toys.
  Turn off all TVs.
  Hide all remotes
  Dust Fans

Note: If you're unsure about whether to leave something or remove it, it's almost always a safe bet to remove it.

Exterior Home Prep:
  Remove Garbage Cans (The garage would be the safest place.)
  Remove Cars from driveway.
  Wrap up hoses.
  Put all children / pet toys away.

The Professional

Exterior Home Prep
Want to earn some serious money for your listing? With a small monetary investment and some sweat equity, these tips normally have high returns on their investment.

Painting interior walls a bright neutral color:

Bright. Brighter spaces feel larger and more cheerful than dark spaces.

Neutral colors. Many homes just being painted straight white would look better than their current condition.

Basements: Many basements with cement block look much better with a coat of white or another brighter color. This helps brighten the basements and gives them a cleaner feeling.

Lighting

Kelvin temperature. Choose bulbs with a Kelvin Temperature between 3000K - 4000K. Natural Sunlight is ~5600K. Tungsten lighting is ~2000-2,500K and will make gray walls look brown. Higher temperatures like 6,000 and above make your home look sterile like a lab or factory.​

No harsh direct lighting. If you're looking to replace a few fixtures, try to choose one that has diffused light and no bare-bulbs.

Cabinet Pulls: These small pieces can completely change a kitchen. Going from a dated, small cabinet pull to a more tasteful one can make an unbelievable difference.

Staging:Staging makes one of the biggest differences in how a room looks or feels. By staging your home, you're creating a "space" that gives an example to a potential buyer on what the room could be.

Option 1: Stage your home yourself. Don't know where to get started? Look on websites like Pinterest to get plenty of ideas for bedrooms kitchens and baths.

Option 2: Hire a professional. While costly, a professional does a great deal to ensure your home is looking it's best.

Option 3: Virtual staging. Sharper Home Media can stage a home virtually. Just make sure the room is mostly empty before photographs.