When you’re moving a studio apartment, you can sometimes throw things in boxes a few days before and be fine. With a large Chatsworth home? That’s a recipe for disaster.
Here is the timeline we usually recommend for 4+ bedroom homes:
The Golden Rule: Do not underestimate the garage. In Chatsworth, garages are often the size of a small apartment themselves, filled with tools, bikes, and holiday bins. It always takes longer to pack than you think.
The biggest shock for most people moving a large house is the sheer volume of boxes. A 3,000+ sq ft home can easily generate 150–200 boxes.
You generally have two paths:
Why Professional Packing Helps: When we pack, we label systematically. We use wardrobe boxes so you don’t have to take clothes off hangers. And most importantly, we’re fast. What takes you three weekends takes us one day.
Chatsworth properties aren’t cookie-cutter. You might have:
How We Prepare: We usually ask for photos or a video walkthrough of the outside of your home, not just the inside. We need to see the approach. If we know about a steep driveway in advance, we bring the right ramp and extra manpower.
In Chatsworth, large homes often come with large hobbies. We frequently see items that standard movers might shy away from, but we handle them regularly.
Grand pianos, baby grands, and heavy uprights require specific boards, straps, and expertise.
This is common in the Valley. A 600lb+ safe isn't something you move with a dolly from the hardware store.
Pelotons, multi-station weight racks, treadmills, and elliptical machines.
On the actual move day (or days), a big house can feel chaotic with a large crew running around. Here is how to keep it sane.
Pick one bathroom or a walk-in closet and mark it clearly with tape or a sign. Put everything there that you don’t want on the truck:
Before the truck doors close, we will ask you to walk the empty house with the crew leader.
It’s much easier to grab that forgotten rake or broom now than to drive back for it later.
Moving a 4,000+ square foot home isn’t just about muscle; it’s about management. It requires a team that knows how to protect a banister, how to maneuver a sectional through a tight hallway, and how to keep a 10-hour day moving efficiently.
We know Chatsworth. We know the hills, the driveways, and the specific challenges of these properties. Whether you’re moving down the street to a new development or relocating out of state, we treat your large home with the precision and care it deserves.
Don’t let the size of your move overwhelm you. Let’s break it down into a plan, get the right crew on board, and get you settled.
When people worry about a large home move, it’s usually because of big furniture. Chatsworth homes often have:
Here’s how we handle that.
We typically disassemble and later reassemble:
We bring tools and hardware bags so screws, bolts, and pieces stay together. Being upfront about the condition of your furniture helps us handle things carefully and document anything that’s pre-existing.
In a big-house move, there’s a lot of in-and-out traffic, tight corners, and stairs. We wrap accordingly:
We don’t rush this part. Skipping protection might save 20 minutes, but it risks damage—and that’s not a trade we’re interested in making.
If you’ve got a piano, slate pool table, very heavy safe, or commercial-grade gym equipment, we’ll want to know ahead of time. These pieces often require:
We’re absolutely comfortable coordinating this as part of your move, but the key is to plan it before moving day—not discover it as a surprise when we walk in.
Chatsworth is a mix: wide residential streets in some areas, hilly or winding sections in others, plus long or narrow driveways.
When we plan a large-home move, we look closely at:
Access affects how many movers we send, how much time we estimate, and whether we bring equipment like dollies, ramps, or extra straps.
We’ll usually ask you to send photos or videos of your driveway and front area if we can’t visit in person, just to get a clear picture.
When the big day comes, here’s how it usually plays out when we handle a large Chatsworth home.
We’ll:
This is also when we clarify:
Once we start moving:
Your job? Honestly, mostly to stay available for questions and stay out of the “traffic flow.” You don’t have to lift a thing unless you want to handle personal valuables yourself.
At the new place:
This is where labeling pays off. Instead of a mountain of boxes in the living room, things are distributed to their proper zones so you can unpack without feeling buried.
Let’s talk money in a way that’s actually helpful. We don’t do “one number fits all,” especially with big homes, because two 4-bedroom houses can be completely different.
What usually affects your price:
For Local Moves (Greater LA): Usually based on an hourly rate for the crew/trucks + materials.
For Long-Distance Moves: Typically priced by weight/volume and distance.
Our Advice: Always get a walkthrough and a written estimate. With a big-home move, surprises are what you don’t want—and a clear, detailed quote prevents them.
A large-house move isn’t only physical—it’s emotional. You might be leaving a home where you’ve spent a decade or more.
Designate a closet or bathroom where everything stays put:
We’ll avoid that zone, and you can move those items in your own car.
Kids + Pets + Big Crew + Open Doors = Chaos.
You don’t have to have every closet organized like a magazine. We’re used to seeing homes in the “we’re moving” stage. It’s okay if things feel messy. Our job is to bring order to the chaos and get you safely to Point B.
When you own a large home, your time and energy are usually already stretched—work, family, planning the next chapter. Trying to DIY a big move on top of that is… a lot.
When we step in as United Prime Van Lines, what we’re really offering is:
We’ve moved big Chatsworth homes enough times to know the common pain points, and we build around those so you’re not dealing with last-minute chaos, damaged furniture, or trucks that show up under-manned and under-prepared.
If you’re looking around your house right now thinking, “This is too much for us to handle alone,” that’s exactly when it makes sense to bring us in. We can walk through, give you a straightforward estimate, and put a plan together that feels doable—not overwhelming.
Moving a large home in Chatsworth will never be zero effort—there’s just too much history, furniture, and logistics involved. But it can be:
If you want help mapping out your move, we’re here for that. At United Prime Van Lines, we can start with a simple walkthrough (in person or virtual), talk through your timing, your concerns, and your must-haves, and build a moving plan that fits your life—not the other way around.
You don’t have to have everything figured out before you call. That’s what we’re here to help with.
