Listing Preparation · Homeowners
Your listing photos are the first thing buyers see. How your home presents in those images drives whether they book a showing or move on.
What should you do to prepare your home for professional real estate photos?
Before your photographer arrives, clear clutter from every room, open all blinds and curtains, turn on every light, remove personal items and pet supplies, make all beds, clean countertops, tidy the yard, and move vehicles from the driveway. These steps take a few hours and have a direct impact on how professional your listing looks to buyers on MLS.
01 The Kitchen
The kitchen is the most important room in your listing. In buyer surveys, it consistently ranks as the space people most want to see. A clean, uncluttered kitchen photographs significantly better than one with everyday items on show.
Clear the countertops completely
Remove dish racks, cutting boards, tea towels, soap bottles, cleaning products, mops, brooms, and garbage cans. Wipe down all surfaces and appliance fronts.
Keep one simple centrepiece
A bowl of fresh fruit or a vase of flowers on the island or kitchen table is appropriate. Avoid anything on windowsills. Clear the refrigerator of magnets and notes.
02 Every Room
Clutter in listing photos signals a lack of storage space to buyers. Every item visible in a photo competes with the home itself for attention.
Cords and electronics
Move exposed cords out of sight. Tuck away remotes, chargers, and devices.
Shoes and jackets
Move all footwear and outerwear into closets. Visible jackets and shoes at the entrance make buyers assume the home lacks storage.
Children’s toys
Store toys out of sight before the photographer arrives. This applies to every room including bedrooms and living areas.
Personal photos and belongings
Remove personal photos and items where possible. Buyers need to picture themselves in the space. Personal items make that harder.
03 Space
Open space photographs as larger space. Remove anything that reduces the perceived size of a room. Turn off all ceiling fans and televisions before the photographer arrives.
Remove floor mats and runners
Mats and runners protect floors but visually break up the floor space, making rooms appear smaller in photos. Remove them for the shoot.
Clear tables and surfaces
Wipe down coffee tables, dining tables, and nightstands. A simple centrepiece on the dining table is fine. Clear nightstands completely.
Edit bookshelves
Remove at least half the books from any bookshelf and arrange the rest in a clean pattern. Keep hardback books and remove worn paperbacks.
04 Light
Light makes rooms appear larger, warmer, and more inviting in photos. Open every curtain and blind in the house before the photographer arrives. Turn on every light, including lamps, overhead fixtures, and under-cabinet lighting.
Replace any burned-out bulbs before the shoot. Where possible, ensure all bulbs in a room are the same tone, either all warm or all cool. Mixed tones create an uneven look in photos that is difficult to correct in editing.
05 Cleanliness
A clean home is the baseline. Photographers can compose and light a room well, but they cannot make a dirty home look clean. Do a full clean the day before or the morning of the shoot.
Beds and bedrooms
Make all beds and add decorative pillows. Pick up clothes and store laundry out of sight.
Floors
Vacuum and mop all floors. Dust surfaces, shelves, and baseboards.
Pet items
Remove litter boxes, pet beds, food bowls, and toys from view. Even buyers who own pets prefer not to see pet items in listing photos.
Need help
If the scope feels too large to tackle alone, Bōde’s Pro Marketplace includes professional cleaning services you can book directly.
06 Exterior
The exterior front shot is the first photo buyers see. It sets the tone for every image that follows. Give it the same attention as your best interior room.
Mow the lawn, rake leaves, pick up after pets, sweep the deck, wipe down visible siding and windows, and hide outdoor garbage cans and lawn equipment out of the frame.
07 Driveway
Vehicles in the driveway or on the street in front of your home reduce curb appeal and distract from the property in the exterior shot. This is one of the most commonly missed preparation steps. Clear the driveway and ask neighbours to move street-parked vehicles if possible.
08 Outdoor Staging
Outdoor living spaces are a selling feature. Present them as usable, welcoming spaces rather than storage areas.
Remove covers from fireplaces, furniture, and BBQs. Open umbrellas. Wipe down furniture and fluff cushions. Add flowers or neutral decorative items where appropriate. A well-staged deck or patio signals pride of ownership to buyers before they step inside.
Bōde includes professional photography and RMS measurements with every listing. Book your appointment directly.
Book photos and measurements →Common Questions
Most sellers need two to four hours to work through all eight preparation steps. The kitchen and main living areas take the most time. Start the day before the shoot so the morning of the appointment is only final touch-ups.
You do not need to be in the rooms while photos are taken, but you should be available to let the photographer in and answer any access questions. Plan to be out of frame during the shoot.
If your home needs a deep clean or you are short on time, a professional clean before the shoot is worth the cost. It takes the pressure off and ensures nothing is missed. Bōde’s Pro Marketplace includes professional cleaning services you can book directly.
Yes. Bōde includes professional photography and RMS measurements with every listing. RMS measurements are required to list on MLS in Alberta. Book your appointment through the Pro Marketplace after your listing is created.
RMS stands for Residential Measurement Standard. It is the measurement methodology required for all Alberta MLS listings. RMS measurements ensure that listed square footage is calculated consistently across all properties so buyers can make accurate comparisons. Your photographer will complete these at the same appointment.
Welcome to Bōde
Bōde is a licensed real estate platform operating in Alberta, BC, and Ontario. The platform handles every stage of the sale: listing on MLS and 1,000+ additional sites, marketing, offers, and closing. Pricing is $949 flat plus GST, or 1% capped at $10,000 plus GST, only when the property sells. The Homeowner Dashboard is free. Bōdie, the AI interface into Bōde AI, tracks ten categories of homeownership value continuously.
Get started at Bōde.ca →1.3%
Homes listed on Bōde sell for 1.3% more than market average
50%
The average Bōde seller saves almost half of total commissions
3,000+
Transactions completed on Bōde worth more than $2.25B
Maximize your home value across the entire lifecycle of ownership.
Activate your Bōde Homeowner Dashboard. It is free. Bōdie starts monitoring immediately.
Activate your dashboard →