Turn on every single light switch in the house before the photographer arrives. Specifically, this helps the photographer capture the warmth and brightness of each room accurately. Additionally, check every bulb before the shoot — any burnt-out lights should be replaced so no room looks dim or underlit in the final photos.

Turn off all televisions, ceiling fans, and computers throughout the home. Specifically, spinning ceiling fans blur in photos and create a distracting, unfinished look. Additionally, TV screens and computer monitors reflect light and pull focus away from the room itself. Turning these off takes thirty seconds and immediately improves every photo in those rooms.

Load the dishwasher and clear every counter of clutter, mail, and appliances. Specifically, put up fresh flowers — a simple and inexpensive touch that reads warmth and care in photos. Additionally, set the table with nice dinnerware if you have it, and clear the refrigerator of all magnets, photos, and papers. Furthermore, less is always better in kitchen photography — a clean, clear counter makes the space look larger and more inviting than anything you can add to it.

Remove all trash cans, shoes, coats, and nightstand clutter throughout the home. Specifically, water bottles, medications, books, and personal items on nightstands are among the most common things that appear in listing photos and shouldn’t. Furthermore, make the bed — and make it properly. Specifically, Sam is direct on this point: make it nice, clean, and smooth — no lumpy pillows, no torn sheets, no rumpled blankets. A well-made bed with attractive bedding is one of the single most impactful bedroom improvements you can make before the photographer arrives.

Empty the bathroom trash, remove all personal items — toothbrushes, brushes, razors, and toiletries — and store them in a bag or caddy you can carry out. Specifically, Sam recommended this approach in a previous episode: keep a dedicated bag or caddy for personal bathroom items so you can clear the space in seconds on photo day. Furthermore, close the toilet lid — this is one of the simplest and most overlooked steps in bathroom prep, and photographers will tell you it matters every single time.

Cut the grass and clear any leaves or debris from the yard before the shoot. Specifically, if there has been snow, clear the walkways and put down salt — both for safety and for the photo. Additionally, move all trash cans and outdoor toys into the garage, and park all vehicles either in the garage or down the road so the driveway and exterior are completely clear. Furthermore, kennel or remove pets from the home entirely — not just for the photographer’s safety and comfort, but so they do not appear in every frame or create distractions during the shoot.

Leave the house while the photographer works. Specifically, this is the most important thing a seller can do on photo day — and the one most sellers resist doing. Additionally, the photographer is a professional trying to do their best work, and hovering homeowners slow the process, create awkwardness, and can end up appearing in reflections. Furthermore, your home reflects you — you want it to look its best, and the best way to ensure that is to trust the professional and get out of the way.