Student Moves in Los Angeles: Dorms and Student Apartments

Campus housing usually runs move-in on a schedule, with assigned arrival times, set unloading areas and rules for carts and elevators. Some residence halls limit who can help with move-in or how long a vehicle can stay at the curb. Read your housing office's instructions before you book anyone, and share them with your movers.

Private student apartments have their own rules. Ask the property manager about moving hours, elevator reservations, the loading area and any documents they require from a moving company.

Neighborhoods around large campuses, such as Westwood near UCLA and the area around USC, have heavy demand for street parking, especially at the start of a term. Find out where a truck can stop near your entrance, how long the walk is and whether the building has a loading area you can reserve.

Describe the route from the truck to the room, including stairs, elevators and long hallways. For student moves, these details affect the time more than the number of items.

Dorm rooms and shared apartments are small. Check what furniture is already provided, measure your space and bring only the large pieces that fit. A desk or dresser that does not fit becomes a second move.

• Furniture already provided in the room or apartment
• Room dimensions and the width of the door
• Bed frames or desks that need to be taken apart
• Space to stack boxes while you unpack

A student move goes faster when the crew has the full picture before they arrive. Put these details in one message with your quote request:

• Your move-in date and assigned time window, if your housing office gives one
• Building name, entrance, floor and room or unit number at both ends
• Elevator, cart and loading area rules from the housing office or building
• Where the truck can park, and how far it is to the entrance
• A list of large items, with photos of anything heavy or fragile
• The name and phone number of the person who will meet the crew

Many students furnish an apartment with pieces from other students, stores or online sellers. A crew can collect items from several addresses in one booking when every stop is listed in your request. Confirm each seller's address, floor and available time before moving day.

If a parent is organizing or paying for the move from another city, choose one person to handle the schedule, and make sure the student, or someone they trust, can meet the crew at both addresses. You can pay by cash, Zelle, Venmo, check or card.

Move-out weeks are busy across Los Angeles campuses. If you are moving into storage for the summer or into a new apartment for next year, book early, check your storage facility's access hours and plan the stops in an order that keeps the drive short.

Student moves are priced like any local move: two movers with a truck at $129 per hour by cash, Zelle, Venmo or check, with a 3-hour minimum. Blanket wrapping and standard disassembly and reassembly are included. Send your addresses, floors, move-in window and a list of large items to get your estimate.