The honest answer
A little of both. It's best if you personally handle small, fragile, and valuable things — wall art, electronics, collectibles, and the contents of shelves. Your painters can move and cover the larger furniture. Clearing walls and small items yourself protects what matters most to you, and lets the crew focus on prep and paint.
The short answer
Plan to remove wall art, photos, small décor, and anything fragile or irreplaceable yourself.
Larger furniture is typically moved to the center of the room and covered by the crew — you don't have to empty the house.
Why this matters
- Fragile and sentimental items are the things most likely to be missed or bumped, and the hardest to replace.
- A little prep clears the way for better wall prep — which is where a lasting finish is won.
What surprises most homeowners
- You don't need to move heavy furniture out of the room — center-and-cover is standard.
- Nail holes and anchors from pictures are patched as part of prep, so taking art down early actually helps.
What to expect from a professional
- Clear guidance on what to move yourself versus what they'll handle.
- Furniture moved carefully, grouped, and covered with clean protection.
- Wall hardware and holes addressed as part of surface prep.
SnowPeak's approach
- We tell you exactly what to set aside before we arrive, and we move and protect the rest.
- We patch nail holes and anchors as part of prep so walls come back clean, not just recolored.
Common misconceptions
I have to completely empty every room.
You clear the small and fragile items; the crew handles and protects the big furniture in place.
Leaving pictures up saves time.
Art left on the walls has to be worked around and can be at risk — taking it down leads to cleaner prep and a better patch job.