Preparation for Professional Photography Shoot in NYC

[Benny]

I'm in the process of scheduling a professional photo shoot of my NYC apartment with one of Hauseit's real estate photography teams. Is there anything I should be aware of before the photoshoot? Anything I should clean up or move away or declutter? Should I get a maid or cleaning service? Should I move out some stuff?

Thank you, and just for context our existing furniture will be there. We read up on whether physical home staging will be worthwhile and have decided that it is not (see reference article below).

Thank you!

[aslan]

If your place is pretty lived in, then yes it's a great idea to get a maid to come thoroughly clean your apartment before the photoshoot. If you are moving anyway, then yes obviously anything you can move out and declutter in advance would be helpful. Perhaps throw some of the clutter into your storage unit in the basement. If you're not doing physical staging nor are you moving, then it's nice to leave core furniture in place for buyers to help envision the use of the space.

1. Declutter and Tidy Up - Clean up piles of paper, water and wine glasses, dirty dishes, shoes and clothes, fridge magnets and other random junk. Every room including the bathrooms should be thoroughly decluttered. See reference article below for additional tips on how to declutter your apartment.

2. Clean Surfaces - All countertops, tables, desks, vanity countertops and any other surfaces should be thoroughly cleaned if possible. At the very least you should remove remote controls, keys, coins, newspapers, magazines, pots and other eyesores.

3. Set the Stage - You want to create as much "air" as possible in front of the camera. This means opening all of the curtains, pulling up all of the blinds and even making all of the beds to create as much air as possible.

4. Be Neutral - It's best practice to remove all seasonal or religious decorations such as Christmas or Kwanza decorations.

5. Lighting - Turn on all of the lights and light some candles before the photographer arrives. This can help give the photos a cozy and pleasant mood.

6. Create Space - If you have a lot of furniture and other household items, try to remove some of them to create the impression of more space in your apartment. For example, you can easily put jackets on coat hooks into closets where they will be hidden.

7. Outdoor Space - If you're lucky enough to have a yard or private garden, make sure you clean it up. That involves mowing the grass, raking leaves and removing gardening tools that are lying around.

8. Make it Cozy - Remember that professional photos are meant to highlight your home in the best possible light. So go the extra mile and freshen it up as if it were a five star hotel! Try putting fresh towels out along with fresh flowers and new toiletries. How would you want a hotel room to look when you walk in?