Packing & Crating in Santa Monica, CA
Packing and custom crating for Santa Monica moves, planned around what you own and how far it is going. Santa Monica moves planned around the City's own parking rules, alley loading and elevator reservations.
- Licensed and insured
- Open seven days
- Free estimates
- 32+ years experience

About Packing & Crating in Santa Monica
How a move is packed decides how it arrives. Popeye Moving & Storage has packed and moved Santa Monica homes and businesses since 1994, and our packing and crating services can cover a whole household or just the pieces you would rather not pack yourself. Full-Service Packing means our crew packs every room with the right materials, labels each box by room and lists it on the inventory, so nothing goes missing between addresses.
Custom Crating is for items a box cannot protect: artwork, mirrors, glass and stone tops, sculptures and antiques. Each crate is built to fit the piece, and heavy or irregular items can be mounted on a skid so they move by forklift or pallet jack. Unpacking Services reverse the process at the new home, with boxes emptied, items placed and packing materials removed. If you prefer to pack yourself, Moving Supplies & Delivery brings boxes, tape, paper and wrap to your door.
Some things cannot be packed for a move at all. Hazardous materials such as propane, gasoline, paint thinners, aerosols and corrosives are not accepted for transport, and money, jewelry and important papers are best carried with you. Items of high value should be listed on the inventory with a declared value, and we can explain your valuation options before move day.
Estimates are free, including in-home and video estimates. Call (310) 823-9510, 6 AM to 9 PM seven days a week, to plan your packing.
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Service Area
Packing & Crating Coverage in Santa Monica
Popeye Moving & Storage plans Santa Monica moves around the City's own Temporary No Parking Sign rules, alley clearance and building elevator windows. Free estimates.
Popeye serves Santa Monica across ZIP codes 90401 through 90405, from the high-rise blocks of Downtown and the Ocean Avenue corridor to the alleys of Ocean Park and Sunset Park, the walk-up apartments of Wilshire Montana, the single-family streets North of Montana and the mixed blocks of Pico and Mid-City. Census figures put the population at 90,082, with 72.1 percent of homes rented, so many moves are apartment jobs on shorter notice. Through traffic runs on Lincoln, Wilshire, Santa Monica, Pico and Ocean Park Boulevards and the 10 freeway, and with double drive time on local hourly moves, scheduling away from peak hours lowers what a customer pays. Vaulted storage between homes is handled at our Mar Vista warehouse on the Westside.
Local Issues
Common Packing & Crating Issues in Santa Monica
Uninspected parking signs
Signs must be inspected by Traffic Services between 72 and 24 hours before the reservation starts. An inspection with less than 24 hours to go is not enforceable, so the space is not protected.
Every other Friday closure at City Hall
Signs are collected in person, and City Hall is closed every other Friday as well as weekends and holidays, which can cost a collection day near a move date.
Frontage that cannot be reserved
Blue curb, red curb, loading zones, bike lanes and active valet cannot be reserved, so on some blocks no permit will produce a space and the plan must change.
Alley clearance
Alley loading needs 11 feet of clearance and some alleys cap loading at 30 minutes or less, which shapes truck choice for Ocean Park and other alley-served buildings.
Elevator windows in high-rise buildings
Buildings Downtown and along Ocean Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard commonly need a service elevator reservation and a certificate of insurance, and the elevator window usually sets the length of the move.
Local Tips
Packing & Crating Tips for Santa Monica Residents
If you take Temporary No Parking Signs, call Traffic Services for inspection at least 24 hours before the reservation starts, or the signs will not hold the space.
Check the City Hall calendar when your move is close to a Friday, since offices close every other Friday and signs are collected in person.
Once you have moved in, apply for a preferential parking permit with proof of residency and vehicle registration at your Santa Monica address; temporary permits are available while it is processed.
Coverage
Areas We Serve in Santa Monica
Downtown
High-rise and elevator-dependent, and the most permit-sensitive part of the city, where service elevator reservations set the schedule.
Ocean Park
Lower-density streets that are narrower, with alleys and older buildings where alley loading and stair carries dominate.
Wilshire Montana
Dense pre-war and mid-century apartment stock where walk-ups and limited curb space are the main constraints.
North of Montana
Large single-family homes with driveways, where street width rather than parking is the main limit on truck size.
Pico
Mixed residential and commercial blocks with busier through traffic, worth scheduling outside peak hours.
Why Trust Us
Credentials for Santa Monica
Serving LA since 1994
Popeye Moving & Storage has served Los Angeles and surrounding areas since 1994, with more than 50,000 clients served.
BBB A+ Accredited
Popeye is accredited by the Better Business Bureau with an A+ rating.
CAL T 189749 | USDOT 1472924 | MC 498816C
Licensed for moves inside California under CAL T 189749 and for interstate work under USDOT 1472924 and MC 498816C. Fully insured.
Free In-Home and Video Estimates
Free in-home and video estimates, with the price set in writing before anything is loaded on a move inside California.
What we offer in Santa Monica
Our Packing & Crating Services in Santa Monica
Full-Service Packing
Full-service packing in Santa Monica. Our crew packs every room with the right cartons and materials, labeled by room and ready to load.
Learn moreUnpacking Services
Post-move unpacking across Santa Monica: crews unbox, place items to your plan, set up kitchens and closets, and take the boxes and paper away.
Learn moreCustom Crating
Custom crating in Santa Monica for art, mirrors, glass, marble and chandeliers, built to each piece for local, long distance or export moves.
Learn moreMoving Supplies & Delivery
Moving supplies delivered across Santa Monica: cartons in every size, wardrobe boxes, dish packs, mirror cartons, tape, paper and mattress bags.
Learn more
Ready to Get Started?
Licensed CAL T 189749 | USDOT 1472924 | MC 498816C, fully insured and BBB A+ accredited. Free in-home and video estimates. Open 6 AM to 9 PM, seven days a week.
Our Packing & Crating Process in Santa Monica
Free estimate
We walk through your home in person or by video, note what needs packing and any fragile items, and agree full or partial packing.
Packing plan
We set the packing days, starting with rooms you use least, so the kitchen and bedroom stay usable until the end.
Room-by-room packing
Our crew packs each room with the right materials, labels every carton by destination room and records it on an inventory.
Ready to load
Cartons are staged for loading and we walk through with you so nothing you set aside gets packed.
Find your neighborhood
Packing & Crating by Neighborhood in Santa Monica
North of Montana(90402)
Moving in North of Montana, Santa Monica's large-lot quarter from Montana Avenue to Adelaide Drive. Full-house moves with pianos, art, wine and antiques, on tree-lined streets where canopy and roadway width limit the truck more than parking does.
Packing & Crating in North of MontanaOcean Park(90405)
Moving in Ocean Park, Santa Monica's southwest corner from Pico Boulevard to the Venice line and the beach to Lincoln. Small lots, rear alleys, bungalows and walk-up apartments where the alley clearance and the stairwell set the plan.
Packing & Crating in Ocean ParkSunset Park(90405)
Moving in Sunset Park, Santa Monica's southeast quarter of post-war family houses between Pico Boulevard, Lincoln, Centinela and the airport. Popeye Moving & Storage surveys garages, lofts and converted studios so the written price matches the house.
Packing & Crating in Sunset ParkMid-City Santa Monica(90404)
Moving in Mid-City Santa Monica, between Wilshire and Olympic from about 14th Street to Centinela. Older apartment and courtyard buildings with small or no lifts, low garages and service alleys behind most blocks.
Packing & Crating in Mid-City Santa MonicaPico Neighborhood(90405)
Moving in the Pico Neighborhood, Santa Monica's district from Lincoln to Centinela between Olympic and Pico, cut by the 10. Bungalows, older rent-controlled apartments and newer condos share each block, with alleys and curbs doing the loading.
Packing & Crating in Pico NeighborhoodWilshire Montana(90403)
Moving in Wilshire Montana, Santa Monica's dense apartment and condo belt between Montana Avenue and Wilshire Boulevard. Popeye Moving & Storage plans curb reservations, walk-up stairs and managed-building lift windows before the date is set.
Packing & Crating in Wilshire MontanaPico(90404)
Moving along the Pico Boulevard corridor in Santa Monica, from the Civic Center past Santa Monica College to Centinela Avenue. Popeye Moving & Storage plans walk-up stairs, student-term moves and small shop relocations with a written price before loading.
Packing & Crating in PicoWhat Customers Say About Our Packing & Crating in Santa Monica
Real reviews from Santa Monica-area customers we've served.
βFine schedule starts at the citywide Santa Monica overflow 1. Legal parking in Santa Monica, no letter.β
βEleven months stored through a job transfer. The Wilshire Montana gate never yellowed the linens and Wilshire Montana redelivery was on a Saturday.β
βA stone console arrived while we still owned the Wilshire Montana curb. They photographed, held, and the Wilshire Montana set waited for the designer.β
Packing & Crating in Santa Monica - Frequently Asked Questions
Typical Santa Monica ranges are $300 to $800 for full-service packing of a one-bedroom and $600 to $1,500 for a three-bedroom, $150 to $800+ per crate for custom crating, $50 to $75 per hour per crew member for unpacking, and $45 to $120 for moving supply packages. These are typical market ranges, not a quote. Your price depends on how much is packed and the materials needed, and on a move inside California it is set in writing before anything is loaded.
Moves that start and end inside California are regulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS), not the CPUC, which stopped regulating household movers on July 1, 2018 under Senate Bill 19. Popeye Moving & Storage operates under CAL T 189749 for moves inside California, holds USDOT 1472924 and MC 498816C for interstate work, and is fully insured. You can check any mover's permit with BHGS at bhgs.dca.ca.gov or on (916) 999-2041 before you book, and complaints about a California household mover go to BHGS.
Yes. Estimates and quotes are free, including in-home and video estimates, and a video survey lets Popeye give you a guaranteed binding price. On a move inside California the price is set in writing before anything is loaded, with a Not To Exceed figure that caps the bill unless you agree to a written Change Order For Services for added work. A verbal rate over the phone is not an estimate. A walk-through or video survey also tells us how many boxes, how much paper and which crates your home needs, so the materials are listed in the estimate. Call (310) 823-9510 - the office is open 6 AM to 9 PM, seven days a week, including Sunday.
Yes. Many customers pack books, clothes and everyday items themselves and ask our crew to pack the kitchen, glassware, artwork and other fragile pieces. Tell us which rooms or items you want packed at the estimate and it will be listed in writing, so you know exactly what the crew is doing on the day.
Custom crating is worth it for items that are fragile, valuable or an awkward shape: framed art and mirrors, glass and stone table tops, sculptures, chandeliers and antiques. Crates are built to fit the item, and heavy or irregular pieces can be mounted on a wooden skid so they move by forklift or pallet jack without being handled directly. Crating is also used for long-distance and international shipments that face more handling.
Hazardous materials are not accepted, including gasoline, propane tanks, paint and paint thinners, aerosols, corrosives and explosives, because federal law bars a carrier from accepting them for transport. Perishable food, plants and open liquids are best handled separately. Money, jewelry, medicines and important documents should travel with you rather than in the truck.
Santa Monica Questions
Not always. The City says Temporary No Parking Signs are advised but not required: if the truck is not parked overnight, from 9pm to 6am, it can use a legal open space under existing street rules. On a busy metered or permit block the signs are what turn a hoped-for space into a reserved one. They must be applied for, collected in person at City Hall, posted and inspected by Traffic Services between 72 and 24 hours before the reservation starts, or they are not enforceable.
Typical Los Angeles ranges are $350 to $650 for a one-bedroom apartment local move and $150 to $200 per hour for a two-person crew and truck on local residential moves. These are typical ranges, not a quote. Elevator windows, stair carries and double drive time all affect the hours, and on a move inside California your price is set in writing before anything is loaded, with a Not To Exceed figure.
Yes. Popeye holds CAL T 189749 for moves inside California and USDOT 1472924 and MC 498816C for interstate work, and is fully insured. California household movers have been regulated by the Bureau of Household Goods and Services (BHGS), not the CPUC, since July 1 2018 under SB 19. California requires a written estimate, and the Not To Exceed figure agreed in writing caps your bill.
Yes. In-home and video estimates are free, and a video survey can lead to a guaranteed binding price. Show us the building entrance, the elevator or stairs, and where the truck can stand, whether that is the street, an alley or a loading area.
Yes. Popeye offers full-service vaulted storage at its own warehouse at 5509 1/2 S Centinela Ave in Mar Vista. Goods are placed into vaults at the warehouse the same day as pickup, with no overnight hold on the truck. You do not get a unit or key; our crews handle the goods, the space is climate controlled, and there is no minimum or maximum term.
Often, yes. Active loading is allowed in Santa Monica alleys provided 11 feet of clearance can be kept, and some alleys limit loading to 30 minutes or less, so the signs on that alley need checking. A full-size truck that cannot leave 11 feet clear is not legally loading there, so truck size is chosen at the estimate.
The City will not reserve ADA spaces at blue curb, valet parking during its operating hours, curbside bike lanes, loading zones or red curb. Metered and unmetered spaces can be reserved for up to 72 hours, and for metered spaces the meter numbers have to be supplied, so someone needs to walk the block first.
No. Moving containers, PODS and dumpsters are not covered by the Temporary No Parking Sign process. The City sends them to Public Works for a Use of Public Property Permit, with a fee based partly on the space occupied. Fees change, so confirm the current amount with the City.
Need Packing & Crating in Santa Monica? Get a Free Estimate.
Licensed CAL T 189749 | USDOT 1472924 | MC 498816C, fully insured and BBB A+ accredited. Free in-home and video estimates. Open 6 AM to 9 PM, seven days a week.