30-Day Moving Checklist for Los Angeles: What to Do Before the Big Day

Los Angeles ranks among the five hardest cities in the country for a household move. Tight street-parking rules, two-week waits to start utilities, and block-by-block permit quirks raise the stakes. A 2024 Move dot org study put Los Angeles in that top tier after comparing permit fees and service delays in fifty metro areas. https://www.move.org/moving-permits/

Local brokers agree the only real fix is planning. Line up permits, service calls, and packing in the right order and the hand-off feels routine instead of frantic.

The thirty-day countdown

30 days out

Reserve a licensed moving crew. Summer dates and rooftop elevator slots fill first in dense neighborhoods. Request a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power service-capacity letter if the new panel is older. Processing takes seven to ten business days. https://www.ladwp.com/home/power/service-planning Download the trash and recycling calendar for the new street through MyLA311 so purge weekends match pickup days. https://myla311.lacity.org Call your insurance carrier to move the homeowners or renters policy. Underwriters will not release keys until the binder shows the right parcel number.

21 days out

Submit an online United States Postal Service change of address. The fee is one dollar. https://moversguide.usps.com Schedule bulky-item pickup through Los Angeles Sanitation. Slots sit about a week out. Reserve the freight elevator if the building has one. Managers usually want a deposit and the mover’s insurance certificate. Order specialty boxes. Artwork sleeves and wardrobe cartons ship slowly in peak season.

14 days out

Apply for a Temporary No-Parking permit with Los Angeles Department of Transportation. Post signs forty-eight hours before the truck arrives. https://ladotparking.org/permits/ppd-permits/ Call SoCalGas and the internet provider. Standard lead time for activation is five to seven days. Begin the packing plan. Sort out anything unused for a year and donate or sell it. Pack books, off-season clothes, and décor first. Label each box by room and priority, then number everything and track the list on your phone. Create a cloud folder for escrow papers, appliance manuals, and any hazard maps tied to the new lot.

7 days out

Confirm the mover’s insurance meets the building or HOA limits. Most ask for one million liability and two million aggregate. Finish labeling with color tape so fragile items stand out. Pack a go-bag with medication, chargers, key paperwork, pet food, and one change of clothes. If the truck runs late, this bag saves the first night.

First seventy-two hours in the new place

Light water-heater pilots and swap the HVAC filter so dust from the move does not block airflow. Add the new address to the MyShake earthquake-alert app. https://myshake.berkeley.edu Walk each room and check for leaks, loose rails, or tripped breakers. Photograph anything that needs follow-up. Set the first curbside trash pickup through MyLA311 for the correct day.

Pro tips for Marketing Tips

Post the move date and new street on Nextdoor or a local Facebook group one week ahead. Neighbors often welcome newcomers early and may buy extra furniture. Book movers for Tuesday or Wednesday. Mid-week slots cost less because demand drops outside the weekend rush. When you share photos online, include the phrase “moving day Los Angeles” in captions and image alt text. It helps friends track advice later and improves local search results.

Common pitfalls and quick fixes

Street-sweeping tickets in Los Angeles cost fifty-eight dollars. Check the curb sign and move the truck before the posted hour. https://ladotparking.org/parking-meters/parking-restrictions-holiday-parking/ Freight elevators need an advance reservation. Late requests can cost more than two hundred dollars. Valley heat often tops one hundred degrees in July. Keep water and electrolyte packs available for movers and pets. National Weather Service climate data for Woodland Hills confirms those highs. https://www.weather.gov Pack cleaning supplies for both addresses. A quick wipe preserves the deposit on the old place and freshens the new rooms before furniture arrives. Start power, gas, and internet five business days before move-in so lights and Wi-Fi work on day one. https://www.ladwp.com/account/start-or-add-service If the current home has a garage or attic, expect about fifteen percent more boxes than an apartment. Source SpareFoot storage survey 2025. https://www.sparefoot.com Update all delivery profiles after filing the change of address; packages left at the old porch tempt theft. Carry a simple toolkit with screwdrivers, knife, tape, light bulbs, and chargers in the car. Photograph every wall and appliance in the new home before unloading. Time-stamped images protect deposits and warranties. Arrange off-site care for pets or children. It keeps them safe and lets movers work faster.

Final thoughts

Think of your relocation the way a builder thinks of a remodel: break the job into clear milestones, track lead times, and close every open loop before crews arrive. Begin with the items that require outside approval. Street-use permits and freight-elevator reservations often need two business days for final posting or staff sign-off, so file those requests as soon as your closing or lease date is firm. Next, lock in power, gas, water, and internet at least five business days before move-in. Utility crews run separate schedules, and even a one-day gap can leave you unloading boxes in the dark.

Choose a Tuesday or Wednesday pickup if you can. Mid-week slots cost less, traffic moves faster, and curb lanes are less likely to be blocked by weekend events. In the final week, keep one printed and one digital checklist handy. Confirm the mover’s insurance, label each fragile box with bright tape, pack a first-night kit, and snap photos of both properties to document the condition.

None of these steps removes the heavy lifting, yet together they erase most of the hidden costs of parking tickets, elevator penalties, rush utility fees, and deposit deductions that turn a straightforward move into an expensive headache. Follow the sequence, adjust the timing to your own escrow or lease, and you will arrive at the new address with lights on, internet live, and no surprises waiting at the curb.