“My house isn’t cute enough for that.” “Oh, our house is just too small.” “This is only our starter home, we’ll do it when we find our forever home.” These are all things we’ve heard while clients ponder over the thought of an in home lifestyle session. They’ve seen so many drool-worthy sessions and just think their house isn’t quite right for the job.

Hey, guess what! All of the above statements are NOT good reasons to opt out of having an in-home session. The entire purpose of a session in your home is to document real life- exactly where you are, right now. Think about it, do you REALLY think in all those pinterest photos, that people keep their home that bare, clean and adorable ALL the time? Who are they kidding? (…and if they do, we don’t think we can be friends with them!) This type of session is great for a couple who just purchased a new home, a couple who just added an adorable addition to their life or the whole family who just wants to remember this current stage in their lives.

 

A few tips to help prepare your home for two photographers to come into and document your life!

1. Get to know the light in your home. Daylight is our best friend! Which rooms get the best window light and at what time? Pick two or three rooms that you would love to document your life in. Just as a suggestion, most newborn sessions are held in the nursery, parents bedroom and the living room. For family sessions and couples sessions, there’s a little more freedom. Take a look around, is there a certain nook of your home that gets AMAZING light in the morning? Let us know, we’ll schedule around that. There’s no doubt in our minds that your kids are going to want to show off THEIR favorite room in the house, so check out the light there beforehand as well.

 

2. So you’ve scouted your own home for the best window light, what’s next? Put away the clutter. This doesn’t have to be a daunting task and can be as simple as putting away the mail off the kitchen counter, or moving your shoe basket to another room for the day. We don’t ask you to CHANGE your space, just tidy it up! We promise we won’t peek in your closets!

Sidebar- Hi, Kate here! I had Jill take some in home lifestyle photos of my family last year! 90% of the time, my home is a disaster- full of a cyclone of toys, a mountain of laundry (I have two girls who both like to change their outfits a minimum of 5 times each day) and tumbleweeds of husky hair even though I JUST vacuumed. But I was up for the challenge. In the kitchen, I took my crock pot off the kitchen countertop and moved my pile of mail that always finds itself at the drop off station on my kitchen island. For the living room, I redecorated my piano top (this was a personal preference for me and an excuse to run to home goods and hobby lobby) I threw a throw blanket over the couch and fluffed my pillows. (This last sentence sounds like such a simple thing, but please refer back to the two toddlers and the husky. Blankets and pillows do not last long in my household without becoming full of dog hair and needing to be washed.) These simple fixes were enough to show off my home and my family without making my home “perfect.”

 

3. So …. What do you like to do while you’re home, anyway? If you are suddenly thinking “we don’t do anything worth documenting.”  we’re betting you’re a lot more fun than you’re letting on to be! Do you love cooking with your honey? Let’s get real close in the kitchen and then snuggle up on the couch watching Netflix. Also, don’t be afraid to hide your laundry basket in the closet and cuddle up in bed with your favorite book and your drink of choice (donning warm socks, of course). Do your kids love making cookies? Let’s bake them! There’s also no doubt they’re going to want to show us their swing set and their legos. We’re up for that too!

 

With all of this information, we have a few very important questions to ask to help you decide if your home is right for an in home session. Do you have fun in your house? Do you dance around the kitchen while asking Alexa to play your favorite 90’s hits? Inside your four walls, are there tickle fights, bubble baths, game nights or Friday night pizza? Do you kiss in the kitchen while handing a couple of coffee to your honey (it’s okay if this only happens on Sunday mornings when you’re not running late)? If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, we think your house might just fit the bill. What are you waiting for, email us! We can’t wait to meet you.