“If I could rate the movers with 10 stars, I would. Pedro and Alberto were fantastic! They were friendly, professional, and they did a great job. I highly recommend them.”
Cambridge is home to Harvard, MIT, and Lesley University, which means move-in and move-out season here is unlike anywhere else in Massachusetts. Late August and early September bring thousands of students and families descending on the same streets, the same buildings, and the same narrow staircases all at once. Move-out in May and June is equally intense.
Smart Penny Moving® has been part of Cambridge’s college moving season for years. We know which Harvard residential houses have freight elevator reservations, which MIT dorms require specific move-in windows, which off-campus streets in Agassiz and Neighborhood Nine need a smaller truck. That local knowledge means your move runs on schedule, even when everyone else’s doesn’t.
College moves have a different set of pressures, tight timelines, strict building rules, limited elevator access, and parents who’ve driven hours to help and need the job done efficiently. We work fast, communicate clearly, and handle every item carefully, from dorm room essentials to full apartment contents.
For international students or families moving from out of state, we offer full packing services so the student doesn’t have to coordinate everything alone. We can also hold belongings between semesters at our Woburn storage facility, a practical option for students not returning to the same address next year.
Let's keep it clear: Smart Penny Moving only charges you for the time you need our services. There are no hidden charges or fees, as we like to keep the billing process simple.
Moving in MA? We begin charging for time when we leave our headquarters in Cambridge and we stop charging when we arrive back to our offices. We don't charge for traffic!
In addition to charging for time, we also add on costs for providing tape, boxes, shrink wrap, and mattress covers. If you have your own supplies we happily use yours and no additional charge will be levied.
There are a couple of items we do not transport, including the following: A. Gas, B. Paints, C. Passports, D. Money, E. Phones, F. Animals
Cambridge student housing runs the full range, Harvard’s historic residential houses, MIT’s modern dorms, and dozens of off-campus apartments scattered across Agassiz, Porter Square, and North Cambridge. Each comes with its own access rules, elevator schedules, and physical challenges. Our crew knows what to expect and how to work within those constraints without slowing the job down.
We handle all the typical college move items: bed frames, desks, dressers, computers, monitors, musical instruments, sports equipment, kitchen boxes, and clothing. Everything gets wrapped or boxed properly, nothing gets tossed loose into the truck.
Move-in day in Cambridge is one of the busiest days of the year in this city. Having a crew that’s done it before, and knows the buildings, the streets, and the timing, makes the difference between a smooth morning and a stressful one. We handle the logistics. You focus on getting settled.
College moves don’t follow a normal schedule, they happen at the end of leases, between semesters, after graduation, and sometimes in the middle of a school year when plans change. Smart Penny Moving® works around that calendar.
Need to store furniture over summer while you’re on an internship in another city? We hold it at our Woburn facility and deliver it back when you’re ready for your next Cambridge address. Graduating and not sure where you’re landing yet? We can store your belongings while you secure your next apartment, so you’re not pressured into a decision just because your lease ended.
For students moving into on-campus housing or off-campus apartments, we handle packing, transport, and full unpacking if needed. We bring all the supplies, no last-minute runs to find boxes the morning of your move.
boxes in every size, tape, bubble wrap, packing paper, furniture pads. We bring everything; you don’t need to source anything separately.
straightforward pricing, no hidden fees, no surprise charges at the end of the job
every move is fully covered, so your belongings and the building are protected
we carry everything in, place furniture where you want it, and have your room set up and livable the same day
efficient, careful, and out before your building’s move-out window closes
full service for students transitioning from dorms to their first apartment or between rentals
if you’ve already packed and just need the muscle, we offer labor-only help too
store your belongings at our Woburn facility during breaks, internships, or while between addressesFor upperclassmen seeking more spacious accommodations off-campus, a hassle-free transition is vital. If dorm living isn’t mandatory, a simple call to us will secure an affordable quote for apartment moves.
Cambridge college moves book up fast, especially in August and May when the whole city is moving at once. The earlier you reach out, the more flexibility you have on timing and crew availability. Call us at 800-611-2201 or fill out the quote form above, tell us your university, your address, and your move dates and we’ll take it from there.
Don’t forget to check out our packing tips page and use our printable moving checklist. If you have any questions about the moving process, please refer to our FAQs page.
Your request has been received and a move specialist is reviewing your information. We’ll contact you shortly regarding your move details and availability.
For the most accurate quote, we recommend recording a quick video walkthrough of the items you’ll be moving using the link below — you can submit it anytime convenient for you: 📱 Self-Recording Inventory
We look forward to helping with your move.
In a hurry? Call us at 800-611-2201.
NOTE: Check your junk and spam folders to ensure that you are not missing any emails from us.
Joseph Zanca
Local Guide
Samuel, Walter, and Guiermo did a great job. Was very happy with how well they worked and how easy they made our move. Would highly recommend. Reasonable price for moving out of one house, storing overnight, and moving in the next day
Zac Broken Rope
We hired SmartPenny moving to help us move from our apartment in Brookline to a condo in Boston. Alberto was the absolute best, he was communicative, prompt, and took excellent care of all of our possessions. He was joined by Guillermo H, Melvin L, and Misael S who were truly all stars in moving our furniture both down stairs and then up roughly 60 steps to our new place. I couldn’t recommend them more strongly and will be sure to use them if we ever move again. Thank you!
Tom Jaques
Local Guide
Smart penny is fantastic. Friendly and fast, all you could ask for in a moving company. Our crew of Samuel, Guerrero, Walter, Eric were phenomenal. Couldn’t recommend enough!
Wyatt Mufson
Local Guide
Amazing experience with Samuel, Melvin, and Alex! They did a great job, they were very thorough and careful with our stuff. They were right on time and finished much faster than I expected. They also packed up our entire kitchen and did a great job unpacking it too. Very impressive work!
Leo Boudreau
Great group to work with. From Michael in the office and then the movers, great service every stage of the move. With all the snow, it was a challenge parking the truck and getting the furniture into the house. Samuel, Omar and Guillermo problem solved around each issue and got the job done. I would give Smart Penny Moving my highest recommendation. And I thought their prices were very reasonable.
Lucy M
MAJOR MAJOR thank you to Samuel and Irvin!!! Not only were they super quick and helpful, but they were also incredibly kind and a joy to work with. They were both so careful my belongings, which means a great deal to me, you can’t say that about many movers. I’ve moved at least 3 times in the past 5 or so years and have only ever used Smart Penny, and I’ll continue to do so! Thanks again!
Kenny Iannuzzi
This is my second time using Smart Penny Movers and I could not recommend them highly enough. They are very professional, very communicative and take great care of your things. Estuardo was the main mover and he was fantastic! They are also very up front with costs and very reasonable.
Urshila Sriram
Estuardo, Guillermo, and Alex were wonderful! They were lovely to work with and very efficient and professional. Completed our large 2-bedroom apartment move in ~3 hours, we couldn’t have done it without them. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for movers in the area!!
Susan Stephenson
Smart Penny Moving delivered! Communication with Michael and Alan all through the process was great. I’m sure I called out of regular business hours a few times to change or clarify things, but it didn’t seem to bother them. The pick up was done by 3 guys within 6 hours. It was stunning to watch the speed and care they took packing 20 years of life and a 2 BR house into one truck. Estuado wrapped everything well and took special care of the special items. The delivery the other end was just as careful with Juan in charge. I felt a bit lazy being the ‘director’ and not lifting boxes, but the mover suggested (tactfully) that would make the process go quicker. Had I known my move would have been this smooth, I think I’d have relaxed before they arrived. THANK YOU!
Alifa Watkins
Estuardo, Alex and Omar were the BEST movers I’ve ever had. They were patient, communicative, and went above and beyond to make sure everything was where we wanted it. Even when they didn’t even expect as big of a job as they walked in to, they were very graceful and were up to the task. 10/5!!!
Emeric Viani
Outstanding experience. Quick quote for a small job to move a couch across town, cheapest of five companies I contacted. Final price ended up being $100 less due to how much time the job took. Both movers were exceedingly kind, prompt, and efficient. I would gladly use them again in the future.
Leah Kosch
Alberto Alex Omar were fantastic. They moved our piano!! They were efficient, great with communication, and did a great job with our move. We’ve used Smart Penny twice now and would use them again.
Andrew Malison-Reardon
Samuel, Omar, and Guillermo were fantastic movers. They were efficient, polite, and thoughtful when handling our belongings. I highly recommend using them for your move.
Lucie feufeu
Estuardo was excellent, fast, and efficient. I was moved into my apartment quickly and everything was delivered safely without any damage. Would 100% recommend!
Kaila Wilson Birchall
Our movers were excellent! They showed up a little early. They were very efficient with moving everything both in and out. They were quick to arrive at our house. Everything was handled with care. They were also very friendly! Great price, the company is very professional! Online system to figure out pricing was excellent! Would highly recommend.
Charlotte Dobbs
We had a great move today with Samuel and his crew! They were so kind, helpful and strong! They took great care of our things and did a great job disassembling and reassembling some of our furniture. They really took care to make sure that we had an easy process of moving and getting settled in. We are so grateful!
