Inside the Home
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De-clutter 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”.
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De-personalize to a certain degree. Photos of family members and any potentially offensive art (believe me, I’ve seen it all!) should be put away.
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Remove any seasonal/holiday decorations that can quickly outdate your photos.
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Dust and vacuum.
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Make all the beds, fluff all the pillows, and check the bed skirts.
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Clean the kitchen sink and put away all the dishes.
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Clear all kitchen counter tops and put away toasters, can openers, etc.
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Clear all bathroom counter tops and put away all personal items.
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Remove all shampoos, conditioners, body-washes, etc. from the shower.
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Put out the guest towels and hide all the others.
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Hide all trash cans.
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Remove all magnets and decorations from the refrigerator.
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If there are pets, hide all food/water bowls, pet beds, and pet toys.
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Put all toilet seats and lids down.
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Replace all burned out light bulbs.
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Consider decorating the tables with your prettiest place settings.
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Consider putting out vases of fresh flowers.
Outside the Home
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Have the lawn trimmed, leaves raked, bushes and trees pruned.
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Clean up after any animals.
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Put away all garbage cans, hoses, garden tools, toys, bikes etc.
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Hide any “cute” yard decorations.
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In snowy climates, shovel snow from walkways, driveways, patios, decks when necessary.
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If there is a pool, hot tub, or spa, take any security gate down, uncover, and clean.
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If there will be any twilight photos taken, replace any broken lighting on the home, around the landscape, and in the pool.
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Open the umbrellas on any patio sets.
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When in season, uncover grills.
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Remove any seasonal/holiday decorations.
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Consider adding splashes of bright colored flowers to the landscape and in pots.
Right Before the Photographer Arrives
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Turn on ALL interior lights – even lights in furniture cabinets.
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Turn OFF all ceiling fans.
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Light fireplaces.
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Open all blinds, shades, and curtains.
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Clear all cars, vehicles, and trash cans from the driveway and the street in front of the home.
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Please secure any potentially aggressive animals in a safe location, away from all rooms being photographed.
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You can hide all clutter in areas that won’t be photographed like the garage, closets, and small laundry rooms.