Moving to Burbank This Spring? Don’t Panic If Your Keys Disappear
April and May are chaos. Half of Burbank seems to be loading U-Hauls and shuffling between apartments on Olive Avenue, condos near the Burbank Town Center, and those cute bungalows tucked behind Magnolia Park. We get it — we’ve been getting calls all month from people who packed their keys into a box, handed them to a mover, or simply dropped them somewhere between their old place and their new front door.
The Locksmith HQ team has handled hundreds of calls over the years, and spring moving season is our busiest stretch. So if you’re standing on a sidewalk in the Rancho district staring at a locked door with zero keys in your pocket — you’re not alone, and this is fixable.
How Keys Get Lost During a Move (It’s Always the Same Story)
Here’s how it usually plays out. You’re juggling a dozen things: the lease paperwork, the gas company transfer, scheduling the internet install, coordinating with your landlord on Screenland Drive, and trying to get your couch through a narrow doorway. Somewhere in that shuffle, your keyring ends up in a random box. Or your partner thought you had them. Or they fell out of your jacket pocket in the back of the truck.
By the time you realize they’re gone, you’ve already turned in your old keys. Now you’re locked out of your new place with no spare, no backup, and no idea where to start.
This is a textbook all keys lost Burbank situation, and it’s one of the most common calls we take between March and June.
What “All Keys Lost” Actually Means
All keys lost isn’t just “I locked myself out.” It means there are zero working keys for the lock — nobody has a copy. That changes what a locksmith needs to do. We can’t just pick the lock and hand you back your existing key. We need to either rekey the locks, cut new keys from scratch, or in some cases replace the lock entirely.
For car keys, it’s a similar deal. If you lost your only car key during the move — maybe it was on the same ring as your house keys — we can cut and program a new one on-site. We handle car key replacement in Burbank for most makes and models, including transponder and push-to-start fobs.
Why Spring Is Actually the Best Time to Deal With This
Here’s the silver lining: if you just moved into a new place, losing all your keys is actually a blessing in disguise. Think about it. You have no idea how many copies of those keys are floating around. The previous tenant, their ex, the dog walker, the neighbor who used to water the plants — any of them might still have a copy.
Rekeying your new locks (or replacing them) after a move is something we recommend to every single customer, regardless of whether they lost their keys or not. Losing them just forces the issue.
Spring Moving Tips for Burbank Renters and Buyers
- Separate your keys from the moving boxes. Keep them on your person — not in a bag, not in a cup holder, not in “the important stuff box.”
- Take a photo of your keyring before moving day. If something goes missing, you’ll know exactly what you’re looking for.
- Rekey on move-in day. Schedule a locksmith before you even start unpacking. We can meet you at your new spot in Hillside, Media District, or anywhere else in Burbank.
- Get at least two spare copies made immediately. Give one to someone you trust. A spare key costs a few dollars — an emergency lockout call at midnight costs more.
- Don’t forget your mailbox key. People lose these constantly during moves, especially at apartment complexes along Verdugo Avenue and Victory Boulevard.
What Happens When You Call Us
When someone calls us for an all keys lost situation in Burbank, we send a technician to your location — house, apartment, car, wherever. For homes, we’ll assess your locks and either rekey them or install new hardware, then cut you a fresh set of keys on the spot. The whole process usually takes 30 to 45 minutes for a standard residential job.
For vehicles, we bring the key-cutting and programming equipment in our van. No towing needed. We handle it right there in your driveway on Kenneth Road or the parking lot behind your new office on Alameda Avenue.
We’re mobile, we’re fast, and we cover all of Burbank — from the neighborhoods up near DeBell Golf Course down to the warehouses and studios south of the 134.
A Quick Note About Spring Weather and Lock Maintenance
Burbank springs are mild, but the temperature swings between cool mornings and warm afternoons can cause older lock mechanisms to stick or jam — especially on exterior doors that get direct sun. If you’re moving into an older home near the Chandler Bikeway or in the Magnolia Park area, have your locks inspected. A lock that’s stiff now will be the one that fails when you’re carrying groceries in July.
We’ve Got You Covered
Moving is stressful enough without a lockout on top of it. If you’re dealing with an all keys lost Burbank scenario this spring — or you just want to rekey your new place before you unpack the first box — our team is available around the clock. Browse our full range of Burbank locksmith services or just give us a call at (818) 398-9391. We’ll get you sorted out.
— Locksmith HQ Team
