For example if you create a folder (eg app/Models), there are two ways to move your models:

1. Laravel5 style = Use PSR4

• namespace all your model files with napespace App\Models;
• Access your models anywhere with their full namespace, eg: \App\Models\User::find(1);

2. Laravel4 style

• Load your model with composer autoloader. In composer.json add:

    "autoload": {
        "classmap": [
            "database",
            "app/Models"			
        ],
        ...

• You don't need to namespace your Models. They are in ther root namespace
• In namespaced files you can access them as \User::find(1);

Matt Stauffer has an excelent post Upgrading from Laravel 4 to Laravel 5

Extra notes:

• If you change tha nampspace of User model you have to update config\auth.php
• The easiest way get rid of long napespaces is to import your models in the begining of your php files, For example: use App\Models\User;