How to prepare your home for a property photoshoot

Damian Clarke 5 October 2026 3 min read

Most buyers meet your home online long before they walk through the front door. Your photos are the first viewing, and they decide who books a second one.

The good news is you do not need to spend money or renovate. A few hours of tidying the day before makes a big difference. Here is the simple checklist I send to my sellers.

The golden rule: less is more

Photos make rooms look smaller and busier than they feel in person. So clear more than you think you need to. If you are unsure about an item, put it away. You can bring it all back after the shoot.

Inside the home

Clear the surfaces. Kitchen counters, coffee tables, desks and shelves should be almost bare. One or two nice items per surface is plenty, like a bowl of fruit or a plant.

Kitchen. Put away the kettle, toaster, dish rack, cloths and the dishes in the sink. Clear the fridge door of magnets and notes.

Bathrooms. Wipe everything down, close the toilet lid and hide the toothbrushes, razors, towels in use and the bin. A fresh, folded towel set looks great.

Bedrooms. Make the beds with clean linen and clear the floor and bedside tables. Tuck cables and chargers out of sight.

Living areas. Plump the cushions, straighten the throws and put away remote controls, toys, shoes and loose papers.

Take down the personal stuff. Family photos, certificates and anything with your children's names on it should come down. These photos go online with your address, so privacy matters too. It also helps buyers picture their own life in the home.

Let in the light

Light is the cheapest upgrade there is.

Open all curtains and blinds
Turn on every light, including lamps and the lights in the passage
Replace any blown bulbs beforehand
Clean the windows if you can, inside and out

Dark rooms photograph badly. Bright rooms look bigger and more welcoming.

Outside the home

The exterior shot is usually the very first photo buyers see.

Move cars off the driveway and the street in front of the house
Mow the lawn and tidy the garden beds
Sweep the paths, patio and entrance
Put away the bins, hoses, washing lines and garden tools
Tidy the braai area and set out the patio furniture neatly
If you have a pool, clean it and put away the toys and pool cleaner

A fresh doormat and a few potted plants at the front door go a long way.

Pets

Please take pets out of the house for the shoot if you can. If that is not possible, keep them in one room. Put away the bowls, beds, litter trays and toys, and give the floors a quick vacuum.

On the day

Be ready before the photographer arrives
Let them work freely, they know what angles work best
Keep the house quiet and the family out of the shots where possible
Do a final walk through each room and ask yourself: what is sitting out that does not need to be?

You do not need to stage the whole home. Clean, clear and bright is enough.

Fixes worth doing first

If you have a spare hour, these small things show up in photos:

Touch up chipped paint and scuff marks
Fix dripping taps and loose handles
Straighten pictures and mirrors
Hide cables and cords

These are cheap, quick and make the home look cared for. I talk about the bigger picture of preparing to sell in my 7 mistakes that cost Southern Suburbs sellers money, and my free seller's guide covers the whole process from preparation to offer.

The short version

Declutter, clean, open every curtain, turn on every light, tidy the garden and move the cars. That is 90% of it.

If you are thinking of selling, which room worries you most? Send me a message and I will tell you exactly what to focus on before we book the photographer.