Photographers aren’t movers or house cleaners, so it’s up to you to get your home close-up ready. Move the car and kids’ toys out of sight. Power-wash the front and sweep the walk and porch. Mow, prune and weed the yard.
The camera captures everything in its view in equal detail, so look out for random coffee cups, crooked wall art, and cluttered surfaces and straighten your walk-in closet to ensure personal effects are out of sight.
Make your floors gleam. Wipe fingerprints and grease from your appliances so they look showroom-new. Clean the carpets and polish the furniture.
Pick a sunny day for the shoot. Open the shutters, blinds and curtains. Install fresh light bulbs, clean ceiling fixtures and turn on the lights.
Some of your home’s features can’t be duplicated easily, so celebrate the built-in bookcases, mullion windows and window seats, too. Also, include shots of any improvements or updates.
What do you see? Hopefully, fresh paint on the front door and a new welcome mat. Inside, your home should flow from room to room, so remove excess furniture, bric-a-brac, and personal items.