Pre-shoot checklist generator

Anything that needs a contractor, a booked service, or drying time happens now.

• Confirm the shoot date, arrival time, and access with your photographer — lockbox code, keys, or who will be on site.
• Start decluttering room by room — pack away roughly a third of what's out, and box up anything you won't use before moving.
• Replace every burnt-out bulb and match color temperatures within each room — mixed warm and cool light is hard to correct, even in editing.
• Book carpet or window cleaning now if either is needed — worn traffic paths and hazy glass both show on camera.
• Patch nail holes and touch up scuffed paint on corners, baseboards, and door frames.
• Schedule the lawn service for one to two days before the shoot — mow, edge the walkways, and refresh the mulch.
• Walk the exterior at dusk and test every outdoor fixture — porch, garage, path, and landscape lights all need working bulbs.

The heavy lift. Finish tonight so the morning is touch-ups only.

• Deep-clean top to bottom — floors, counters, mirrors, and the inside of every window the camera will face.
• Clear counters and surfaces down to two or three intentional items each — sparser than feels natural in person reads as clean on camera.
• Finish all laundry and put it away, along with baskets, drying racks, and anything hanging on doors.
• Stage the finishing touches tonight — fresh towels, made beds, squared cushions — so the morning is only a final pass.
• Tidy the yard and entry — coil and hide hoses, roll bins into the garage, and put away tools and toys.
• Do the final yard pass — sweep walkways, deadhead flowers, and clear clippings from paths and beds.
• Replace any exterior bulbs that failed your dusk test — every fixture should light for the twilight shot.
• Check tomorrow's forecast with your photographer — light overcast is workable, but heavy rain may be worth a reschedule.

Thirty to forty-five minutes of final checks before the photographer arrives.

• Open every curtain and blind fully and turn on every light in the house — lamps and under-cabinet lights included.
• Turn off ceiling fans and TVs — spinning blades and glowing screens both spoil photos.
• Do a final sweep of each room — cords, chargers, remotes, shoes, and anything that migrated overnight.
• Empty every trash can and tuck the bins out of sight.
• Move all cars off the driveway and away from the front of the house, then close the garage doors.
• Confirm who will be on site at dusk to turn on the exterior and landscape lights about 30 minutes before the twilight shot.
• Leave interior doors open — rooms read larger and the home flows better on camera.

• Clear the counters to two or three items at most — a coffee maker, a bowl of fruit, a plant — and store the rest.
• Strip the fridge — magnets, photos, calendars, and artwork all come down.
• Empty the sink and hide the dish rack, sponges, brushes, and soap pumps.
• Take towels off the oven handle and anything hanging from cabinet doors or hooks.
• Clear the kitchen table and island — a single simple centerpiece reads better than full place settings.
• Turn on under-cabinet, range-hood, and pendant lights — small light sources add depth to kitchen photos.

• Clear every counter completely — no toothbrushes, razors, soap pumps, or medications.
• Hang fresh, matching towels folded in thirds, and remove used towels and robes from hooks and doors.
• Close every toilet lid and remove bowl brushes, plungers, scales, and floor mats.
• Clear the shower and tub — shampoo bottles, loofahs, squeegees, and bath toys out of sight.
• Wipe mirrors and glass shower doors — water spots stand out once the room is brightly lit.

• Make every bed hotel-tight — smooth the duvet, square the pillows, and hide phone chargers.
• Clear nightstands to a lamp and one or two items, and do the same for dresser tops.
• Pick up the floor completely — shoes, laundry, and anything visible under the beds.
• Put away personal photos, documents, and valuables — listing photos are public and shared widely.
• Corral kids' toys into closed bins or the closet — one tidy basket is fine, a floor of toys is not.

• Straighten sofa cushions, fold throws over an arm, and clear the coffee table to one or two items.
• Hide remotes, game controllers, and charging cables — tuck cords behind furniture legs if they can't be unplugged.
• Remove one or two pieces from any room that feels tight — an extra chair out of the room photographs larger than a full one.
• Clear the dining table, push the chairs in evenly, and add one simple centerpiece.
• Move floor fans, space heaters, and air purifiers out of sight.

The front exterior is the first photo buyers see.

• Close the garage doors, store the bins, and clear the porch of packages and clutter.
• Sweep the entry, shake out or replace the doormat, and knock down cobwebs around the door and light fixtures.
• Remove seasonal decorations and personal touches — flags, name plaques, and holiday lights read as clutter in listing photos.
• Final green check — lawn mowed and edged, beds weeded, dead plants pulled or replaced.
• At dusk, turn on every exterior light and leave the interior lights on too — glowing windows are what make a twilight shot.