Prep for photo day and ongoing showings each require a slightly different level of readiness. Still, the same underlying goal applies both times: presenting your home at its absolute best in every room.
Want a simple room by room checklist before your photo day or your first showing? Reach out directly and we can walk through it together. If you are earlier in the process and still weighing whether now is the time, our post on how to know when you have outgrown your home is a good place to start.
Managing Pets During Photos and Showings
Pet beds, bowls, litter boxes, and toys should be packed away out of sight before photos and, when possible, before showings. Buyers with pet allergies or simple preference concerns respond better to a space that does not visibly signal a pet lives there.
Planning Where Pets Go During Showings
Beyond hiding pet items, have an actual plan for where pets themselves go during a showing. This might mean a trusted neighbor, a planned outing, or a secure outdoor space. Having this plan ready prevents the scramble that comes with last minute showing requests.
Hiding Cords and Cables to Prep for Photo Day
Visible cords and cables around televisions, computer setups, and charging stations create visual clutter. It is easy to overlook day to day, but it stands out clearly in photos. A few minutes spent tucking these away makes a noticeable difference.
Clearing Counters Completely to Prep for Photo Day
Clear kitchen and bathroom counters down to just one or two simple items, if anything at all, for both photos and showings. This is one of the simplest and most effective steps in the entire preparation process.
Why This Matters More Than It Seems
A cleared counter reads as spacious and move in ready. In contrast, the same counter with daily use items still out reads as lived in. That is a very different impression for a buyer trying to picture their own life in the space. The National Association of Realtors’ consumer guide to staging a house for a sale points to this same idea, that small changes in how a room presents can shape how quickly buyers connect with a space.
Room by Room Quick Checklist to Prep for Photo Day
Bedrooms should have made beds and cleared nightstands. Living rooms should have straightened cushions and cleared surfaces. Bathrooms should have towels neatly folded and personal care items out of sight. Kitchens should have clear counters and no dishes in the sink. Small, consistent choices like these make your property more attractive for homebuyers well before anyone walks through the door.
A Simple Trick for Kids Rooms
For families with children, keep a large basket or bin in each child’s closet. It makes it fast to clear toys and clutter from a bedroom floor in just a few minutes before a showing. This way you avoid needing to fully reorganize the space each time.
Preparing for Last Minute Showings
Keep a simple routine: clear counters, make beds, and do a quick walkthrough before leaving the house each day. As a result, last minute showing requests become far less stressful than starting from scratch each time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I remove all pet items before photos? Yes, pet beds, bowls, and visible pet items should be packed away for both photos and showings whenever possible.
How do I deal with visible cords and cables? Tuck them behind furniture or use simple cord organizers, since visible cords are a common source of visual clutter in photos that is easy to overlook day to day.
What should I do with kitchen counters before a showing? Clear them down to just one or two simple items or nothing at all, since a clear counter reads as spacious and move in ready.
Do I need to prepare the same way for every showing? Ideally yes, since buyers can request showings with relatively short notice, and a consistent daily routine makes this far less stressful.
Should beds be made for every showing, not just photo day? Yes, an unmade bed creates a lived in, less move in ready impression regardless of whether it is photo day or a regular showing.
More Prep for Photo Day and Showing Questions
What is the quickest way to prepare for a last minute showing? A simple daily routine of clearing counters, making beds, and a brief walkthrough before leaving the house keeps your home consistently showing ready.
Should personal care items be out of sight in bathrooms? Yes, clearing personal care items from counters helps bathrooms present as clean and spacious rather than actively in use.
Do showings require the same level of prep as professional photos? Photos often benefit from slightly more detailed preparation since they are permanent, but the same core principles, clear surfaces and tidy rooms, apply to both.
Prep for Photo Day With Kids and Custom Routines
What if I have kids and it is hard to keep the home showing ready? A simple end of day routine, even a quick five minute reset, can make a significant difference in keeping a busy household consistently showing ready.
How do I build a prep routine that fits my specific household? Reach out directly and we can talk through a realistic routine that fits your home and your daily life, so you always have a plan to prep for photo day and every showing after it.
A little consistency in your daily prep for photo day and showings goes a long way. It keeps your home ready whenever a showing comes up unexpectedly.
Google gets you 90% of the way there. I get you the other 10%. Message me. You get me, not a team.
Jennifer Thomas and Ian Wilfert are Huntington Beach real estate partners at Seven Gables Real Estate, serving buyers and sellers across Huntington Beach and Orange County. Jennifer Thomas is a Huntington Beach real estate broker with 40 years of experience, over 1,100 closed transactions, and a reputation as one of Orange County’s most trusted listing agents and senior relocation specialists. Ian Wilfert specializes in first time home buyers, guiding clients through every step of the buying process in Huntington Beach and surrounding Orange County communities. Together Jennifer and Ian bring decades of established market knowledge and first time buyer expertise to every client they serve in Huntington Beach and Orange County. Contact Ian at ianw@sevengables.com or 714-887-9560. Visit ianwilfert.com. Jennifer Thomas DRE 00931959 | Ian Wilfert DRE 02096787.
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