Photo day is premiere night for your home. Before a single buyer walks through your front door, they meet your house on a screen, and those first photos help decide whether they ever come see the real thing.

If you're selling in Atlanta this fall, the good news is that photo prep is mostly small stuff: clearing counters, opening blinds, sweeping a porch. This checklist walks you through it, from two weeks out to the morning of the shoot, plus a few habits for keeping the house lovely while it's on the market. I call that approach Living Staged: ready for buyers, and still a joy to come home to.

Why Listing Photos Matter

Buyers browse online first, and your photos are the first impression your home gets. Clear, bright photos make rooms look larger and more welcoming, and they tend to earn more clicks. More clicks mean more people considering a showing, which means more chances for the right buyer to find you.

You don't need a big budget to get there. You need a plan, and this is one.

Two Weeks Out: Walk the House with Buyer's Eyes

Start here, because the big jobs need time and the best vendors book up.

• Walk the outside and then every room the way a buyer would, and write down each nick, smudge, and "I'll get to it" you spot.
• Fix the small stuff: dripping faucets, sticking doors, loose handles, and cracked outlet covers.
• Touch up scuffed walls with your matching paint color.
• Declutter room by room. Pack away what you won't need for the next few months, and store the boxes off site or stacked neatly in the garage. Buyers open closets, so don't cram the boxes in there.
• Edit the furniture. If a room feels crowded, move a piece out so the room has a clear purpose and space to walk.
• Book your help now: lawn and landscaping, pressure washing, window cleaning, and carpet cleaning if the carpets need it.
• Confirm the photo date and time with your real estate advisor.

The Week of the Shoot: Polish the Outside and Deep Clean

This is the polish week. Do the yard, the windows, and the deep clean now, so photo day is mostly final touches.

Outside

• Weed the flower beds and add fresh, dark mulch.
• Mow the lawn, edge the walkways, and clear the debris.
• Pressure wash the house, driveway, pathways, patios, and decks, if they need it.
• Clean the windows and the entryway, including the front door and the light fixtures beside it.
• Replace a worn welcome mat with a fresh one.
• If you have a pool, clean it and remove pool cleaners and toys.
• Fluff and freshen the cushions on your patio furniture.

Inside

• Finish decluttering all rooms, closets, and pantries.
• Replace any bulbs that aren't working, and use the same warm bulb color throughout each room.
• Wipe down walls with visible marks or blemishes.
• Deep clean the kitchen and bathrooms, including the sinks, tubs, and mirrors.
• Clean the windows inside and wipe the sills.
• Wash and press your bedding, and set aside fresh white or neutral towels for photo day.
• Tidy the bookshelves, with a few books grouped together and some breathing room around them.

The Night Before: Set the stage

A calm evening now means a calm morning later.

• Run the dishwasher and the laundry, empty the hampers, and take out the trash.
• Test every lamp and light switch, and swap any bulb that's out.
• Decide where your pets will stay during the shoot. Photographers carry large equipment that can frighten animals, so pets should be out of the home.
• Put away anything personal: mail, bills, and papers with your name or address, plus jewelry, cash, and prescriptions. Lock up firearms and keep them out of sight.
• Set out a "hide box" by the door, like a laundry basket or bin, for anything that needs to disappear at the last minute.
• Buy fresh flowers or fruit for the kitchen and dining room.
• Check the weather. If rain is coming, tell your agent so the exterior shots can be rescheduled.

Photo Day: Clear the Surfaces and Let in the Light

The morning of the shoot is about clearing surfaces and letting the light in. Plan to be out of the house while the photographer works, unless they ask you to stay.

Outside

• Move cars out of the driveway and front of the house, and park across the street.
• Take the garbage cans out of view.
• Put away garden hoses, sprinklers, shovels, and yard tools.
• Clear fallen leaves and debris from the lawn and the trees.
• Turn on the porch lights.

Throughout the House

• Open all window coverings and turn the blinds horizontal.
• Turn on all lamps and lights.
• Turn off TVs and ceiling fans.
• Hide remote controls, power cords, cables, and phone chargers.
• Clean the floors, remove smudges and footprints, and vacuum the carpets.
• Straighten rugs and fluff the pillows and throws.
• Tidy the closets and hide the wastebaskets.

Kitchen and Dining room

• Clear and clean the kitchen countertops, including detergents, sponges, rags, and dishes.
• Remove stickers and magnets from the refrigerator.
• Add fresh flowers or fruit to the kitchen and dining room.

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

• Make every bed and smooth out the wrinkles.
• Clear and clean the bathroom countertops, including soap, toothpaste, face wash, and shampoo.
• Hang fresh towels and put the toilet lids down.
• Refill the toilet paper so no roll is empty.

One Last Look

• Remove pet bowls, beds, and toys, and take your pets with you.
• Take out any artwork, photos, or belongings you don't want photographed.
• Stand in each doorway and ask what a buyer would notice first. Fix that one thing.

Fall Photo Tips for Atlanta Sellers

Autumn light is gorgeous, and it comes with a few extra jobs.

• Rake the leaves the morning of the shoot, not the week before, because they have a way of coming back.
• Add one small fall touch to the porch, like a pot of mums, a simple wreath, or a couple of pumpkins. Keep it modest so the house stays the star.
• Clean the gutters and clear the downspouts, since buyers notice them in exterior photos.
• Plan the exterior shots around the best light. Fall days are shorter, so ask your advisor and photographer to pick the time together.
• Turn on the porch lights, so the entry glows if the photographer shoots at dusk.

Live Staged: Keep it Lovely While Your Property is Listed

Your property can be ready for buyers and still lovely to come home to. A few small habits do both jobs.

• Do a 10-minute reset each morning: make the beds, wipe the counters, and sweep the entry.
• Keep a "showing basket" handy for last-minute clutter, so a showing request never feels like an emergency.
• Take out the kitchen trash daily, and keep shoes and coats put away in the entry.
• Keep one fresh touch going, like flowers, a plant, or a bowl of fruit.
• Choose a light, clean scent. Clean beats perfumed, and a little goes a long way.
• Put lamps on timers and turn the porch light on at dusk.
• Plan where your pets will be during showings.
• Pick one corner to keep as your favorite and use it, whether that's a reading chair, a cup of tea, or a quiet playlist.

Frequently asked questions

Should I be home during the photo shoot?

Plan to be out of the house while the photographer works, unless they ask you to stay. That keeps people and pets out of the shots and lets the photographer move freely.

What should I do with my pets?

Take them out of the home for the shoot. Photographers carry large equipment that can frighten animals. Remove pet bowls, beds, and toys before you go.

Do I need to buy new furniture or decor?

No. Edit and rearrange what you already have, clear your surfaces, and add one small fresh touch, like flowers or a bowl of fruit. If pieces truly needs to go, your advisor can tell you.

What if it rains on photo day?

Interior photos can often go ahead as planned. Tell your advisor about the forecast, and ask about rescheduling the exterior shots for a clearer day.

How much should I declutter?

Enough that every room feels spacious and every surface has room to breathe. A good test is to ask whether you'd want to see an item in a photo. If not, put it away. Packing up most family photos also helps buyers picture their own life in the home.

Want the printable checklist?

Send me a message on Instagram at @dexculbreath with the word PREP, and I'll send you a printable version of this checklist, no strings attached.

Photo prep is one piece of a bigger plan. If you're thinking about selling in Atlanta, I'm happy to walk through your property with you and map out the rest, whenever you're ready.

Dexter Alexander Culbreath

Global Real Estate Advisor, Atlanta Fine Homes Sotheby's International Realty®
MATCHING HEARTS AND HOMES®

Equal Housing Opportunity. We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation.