Things You Should be Aware of Before Moving to Los Angeles

There’s little wonder as to why The City of Angels is such a popular place to live. In addition to serving as the showbiz capital of the world, the city is rife with rich culture, gorgeous architecture and top-notch dining options. Furthermore, there are copious career opportunities, especially for people in creative fields. There’s no other city quite like Los Angeles, and certain aspects of daily life in L.A. are liable to strike some transplants as a huge departure from what they’re used to. So, if you’ll soon be charting a course for L.A., you’d be wise to go in prepared.

You Will Need a Vehicle

Most major metropolitan areas are home to efficient, easily-accessible public transit systems. Although Los Angeles does have its fair share of public transportation options, you will more than likely need your own vehicle to get around in a timely manner. The further you live from your place of business, the more essential a car becomes. To call L.A. a massive city would be an understatement, and it’s simply not spread out in the same manner as other metropolises in the U.S. Unlike other large cities, which are generally designed to be traversed on foot or via public transit, the City of Angels is very much designed for cars. So, if you live a fair distance from your usual haunts, there’s simply no way around owning a vehicle.

You May Require Outside Storage Solutions

While not the most expensive city in the country, Los Angeles isn’t exactly cheap. As is the case with other large cities, rental rates tend to be much higher in L.A. than in more sparsely populated areas. So, if you’re moving to Los Angeles without a sizable nest egg or high-paying job, your housing options are likely to be limited. While some transplants are perfectly fine with compact apartments, people who own a fair amount of possessions may not be quite as amenable to them.

This is where outside storage solutions can come in handy. Renting a storage locker for items you have no immediate need for and/or larger possessions that can’t comfortably fit in your new place can be a cost-effective way to make compact living work for you. Additionally, many storage units are affordable on even the most stringent of budgets. New arrivals on the hunt for storage Los Angeles can easily find a bevy of attractive options.

Give Yourself a Large Window of Time

Given the abundance of vehicles on the road, it should come as no surprise that traffic in Los Angeles is characterized by congestion and long delays. That being the case, make sure to provide yourself with a large window whenever you need to be somewhere by a certain time. More often than not, this will mean leaving for work and departing for other destinations much earlier than you’d prefer. While this is liable to prove inconvenient at first, leaving early will seem like second nature after a few months of L.A. living.

Be Mindful of Foot Traffic Laws

Jaywalking is very common in big cities. Even though people realize they run the risk of being hit by a car or slapped with a ticket, they opt to take their chances on a daily basis. Not only is this disregard for foot traffic rules unsafe, it’s particularly likely to result in undesirable consequences in Los Angeles, where jaywalking laws are strictly enforced. So, when navigating the streets of L.A. on foot, make a point of using crosswalks and obeying foot traffic lights. Failure to do either of these things is liable to earn you a fine of up to $200 – and given how expensive life in Los Angeles can be, this amount is nothing to sneeze at.

Los Angeles has a lot to offer new arrivals. With world-class cuisine, one-of-a-kind sights and abundant career opportunities, L.A. is a place millions of citizens are happy to call home. However, if you’ve never spent time in the City of Angels, moving to L.A. may strike you as an intimidating prospect. While every transplant goes through a period of adjustment, there are numerous steps you can take to make the transition to life in Southland relatively stress-free.

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