The Week Before Moving - 6 Things Every Seller Should Do

In the final week before a Calgary move, sellers should confirm the exact possession time (not just the date) with their lawyer, clarify what "broom swept" actually means under their specific contract, take timestamped photos of the home right before locking up, set their Canada Post mail forwarding start date correctly, get a written binding estimate and confirmed insurance from their movers, and build a single moving-day folder with everything they will need in one place. This is the week most of the earlier planning either pays off or falls apart, and a few overlooked details cause most of the last-minute stress.

This is Part 4 of a five-part series following a Calgary home sale from start to finish. Earlier posts covered before listing, while on the market, and once conditions were accepted. The final post in the series covers what happens after moving out.

1. Confirm the Exact Possession Time, Not Just the Date

Alberta purchase contracts specify a possession date, but the actual time of day the buyer can take possession is a separate detail, often 12:00 or 1:00 p.m., that lives in the contract's fine print or a later amendment. A seller who books movers for the morning of possession day, assuming the whole day belongs to them, can end up in a genuine conflict if the buyer's own movers or final walkthrough are scheduled for that same window. Confirming the exact time with the lawyer handling the file, then building the move-out schedule backward from it, avoids a scramble that is entirely preventable with one phone call.

2. Clarify What "Broom Swept" Actually Means in Your Contract

Most Alberta purchase contracts require the home to be left in "broom swept" condition, but that phrase is not always defined the same way twice, and expectations can range from a light sweep to a full professional clean with appliances wiped down and closets emptied. Rather than guessing, or assuming a buyer will not care, it is worth a quick check with the listing agent about what has actually been agreed to, or what buyers in this specific transaction have indicated they expect, before booking a cleaner for a level of service that may be more, or less, than what is actually required.

3. Take Timestamped Photos Right Before Locking Up for the Last Time

A short walkthrough with a phone camera, room by room, right before handing over keys, creates a clear record of the home's condition at the moment it left the seller's hands. This matters because condition disputes, when they happen, usually come down to a disagreement about what the home looked like at handoff versus what it looked like days later at the buyer's own final walkthrough. A dated set of photos or a short video is a simple, low-effort way to settle that question before it ever becomes one.

4. Set Your Mail Forwarding Start Date Deliberately

Setting up mail forwarding too early can mean important mail meant for the current address gets redirected before the seller has actually moved, and setting it up too late means a gap where nothing forwards at all. According to Canada Post, the mail forwarding service should be set up with a specific start date in mind, and it is worth allowing a short lead time for the service to activate rather than assuming it starts the moment it is requested. Setting the start date to align with the actual move-out day, not possession day, keeps mail flowing without a gap.

5. Get a Written Binding Estimate and Confirm Insurance Coverage

A verbal quote from a moving company is not a binding commitment, and moving week is the wrong time to discover that the final bill is significantly higher than expected. According to the Government of Canada's Office of Consumer Affairs, consumers should get a written estimate, understand whether it is binding or non-binding, and confirm what insurance coverage the mover actually carries for belongings in transit, before moving day, not after something goes missing or gets damaged.

6. Build a Single Moving-Day Folder

Keys, garage remotes, appliance manuals, warranty documents, the lawyer's contact information, and copies of the closing paperwork all tend to scatter during a busy moving week if they are not deliberately gathered in one place ahead of time. Building a single folder or envelope with everything that needs to change hands, or that might be needed on short notice, on moving day itself removes one more thing to think about during what is already a demanding day.