Seller Resource Guide
Home Showing & Listing Photo Prep Guide
Simple, low-cost tips to help your home look better online, photograph cleaner, feel more spacious, and make a stronger first impression.
The Goal Is Not Perfection
The goal is helping the home feel clean, bright, open, neutral, and easy for buyers to picture themselves living in. Most homes do not need expensive renovations or professional staging to show well. The biggest improvements usually come from decluttering, cleaning, lighting, and simplifying rooms.
Preparing Your Home for Listing Photos
Most buyers will see your home online before they ever walk through the door. Strong listing photos help create more interest, more online clicks, and better first impressions.
1 Week Before Photos
Start with the items that make rooms feel larger and cleaner.
• Begin decluttering rooms and closets
• Pack seasonal decorations
• Consider renting a small storage unit
• Organize garage and storage areas
• Touch up paint if needed
• Deep clean the home
2 to 3 Days Before Photos
• Finish lawn work and landscaping
• Replace burnt bulbs
• Remove excess furniture if needed
• Organize closets and storage spaces
• Purchase fresh neutral towels if desired
Morning of Photos
• Turn on all lights
• Open blinds and curtains
• Make all beds
• Remove vehicles from the driveway
• Put away pet bowls and beds
• Quick vacuum if needed
Room-by-Room Listing Photo Tips
Kitchen
• Clear most countertop items
• Remove refrigerator magnets and papers
• Hide trash cans if possible
• Empty the sink completely
• Clean appliances thoroughly
Why: Cleaner kitchens usually photograph larger and more updated online.
Living Room
• Remove extra furniture
• Straighten pillows and blankets
• Hide visible cords
• Open curtains for natural light
Why: Open spaces help rooms feel bigger and easier to imagine living in.
Bathrooms
• Remove toiletries
• Close toilet lids
• Use clean neutral towels
• Clean mirrors thoroughly
Bedrooms
• Make beds tightly
• Remove laundry and clothing piles
• Simplify nightstands
• Use neutral bedding when possible
Garage & Storage
• Organize garage floors and walls
• Remove clutter piles if possible
• Stack bins neatly
Why: Organized storage areas feel cleaner and more functional in photos.
Lighting
• Use matching LED bulbs throughout the home
• Bright soft white bulbs usually photograph best
• Avoid mixing warm and daylight bulbs
Why: Bright rooms almost always photograph better online.
Low Cost Tips to Help Your Home Show Better
Simple things can make a major difference in how buyers respond to a home online and during showings.
Declutter First
• Remove excess decorations
• Remove personal photos
• Put away papers and mail
• Reduce extra furniture
• Put away kids toys and pet items
• Clear countertop clutter
A cleaner, simpler home often feels larger and more expensive to buyers.
Deep Clean the Home
• Clean countertops and appliances
• Clean mirrors and bathrooms
• Vacuum carpets
• Mop hard floors
• Open blinds for natural light
Make Rooms Feel Larger
• Remove extra chairs
• Push furniture away from walls
• Organize closets
• Straighten rugs
• Clear crowded shelves
Tip: Emptying only part of closets can make storage feel larger to buyers.
Exterior Improvements
• Mow lawn
• Trim bushes
• Sweep porch and driveway
• Remove hoses and tools
• Move trash cans
• Park cars away from the front of the home
Tip: Fresh mulch is one of the cheapest curb appeal improvements sellers can make.
A Storage Unit Can Be One of the Best Low-Cost Prep Tools
A small temporary storage unit is often one of the cheapest ways to make a home feel larger and cleaner before listing photos. A small monthly storage cost is often much cheaper than unnecessary renovations or expensive staging.
• Seasonal decorations
• Extra furniture
• Storage bins
• Garage clutter
• Packed moving boxes
• Off-season clothing
Photo Day Quick Hits
• Turn on all lights
• Open blinds and curtains
• Hide trash cans
• Make all beds
• Put away pet bowls and beds
• Remove vehicles from driveway
• Close toilet lids
• Quick vacuum if needed
Additional Seller Tips
Avoid strong odors: Avoid heavy air fresheners, strong cooking smells, overflowing trash, or pet odors before photos and showings. Clean and neutral smells are usually best.
Pets during showings: Put away pet bowls, crates, toys, and bedding when possible. Vacuum pet hair thoroughly before photos and showings.
Bedding and towels: Matching neutral towels and bedding often photograph cleaner and more inviting online.
Final goal: The goal is not perfection. The goal is helping the home feel clean, bright, spacious, and inviting.
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