https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Fri, 01 May 2026 05:03:55 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326556 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 18:19:28 +0000 LovelyPlum 1326556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: I know, right?! I felt like I had won the lottery when I found it. That bench is also a fabulous item! It would also go well in our living room-bookmarking it for future use. Thanks! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326548 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 18:15:08 +0000 sarac 1326548@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: LOVE that. And you can strap anything down to a wall to make it safe. Really pretty. For shelving, I go either totally cheap, or heirloom level nice. Since I'm in a rental, it's cheap all the way for now. That's a great option. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326411 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 17:25:03 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1326411@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@LovelyPlum: I love that! What a great, multifunctional item! </p> <p>@sarac: a cheapie IKEA option? </p> <p><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60241450/#/40241451" rel="nofollow">http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60241450/#/40241451</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326236 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 16:26:08 +0000 LovelyPlum 1326236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We are getting this for our living room:</p> <p><a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40245741/" rel="nofollow">http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40245741/</a></p> <p>We can put books and things for us on top, and we're going to put bins on the bottom for toys. I don't know how it's going to work yet, but I have high hopes! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326219 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 16:18:29 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1326219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@brownie: speaking of....I looked them up on google images and found someone who had painted them gold-- she did a nice job!</p> <p> <a href="http://www.thehappierhomemaker.com/2013/04/gilded-bookcase-makeover-wayfair-and-ho.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.thehappierhomemaker.com/2013/04/gilded-bookcase-makeover-wayfair-and-ho.html</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326168 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 16:00:35 +0000 sarac 1326168@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: I hear you about that. Replacing my bookshelves isn't even on my radar in terms of home improvement, when we'll just move out of this house in a few years. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326164 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:58:37 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1326164@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Tricycle: Oh wow that one is hard to beat! I will have to ask hubs about it tonight! </p> <p>@mediagirl: Love that idea, I have a friend who does that as his job...although he does charge quite a bit! Maybe I can call in a favor! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326162 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:58:14 +0000 brownie 1326162@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: Yes, you can screw them into the wall (a friend of mine had them floating about a foot off the floor. You can also paint them (so they don't look so goofy). There are lots of people that do paint them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326154 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:55:25 +0000 Mrs. Tricycle 1326154@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>$109...http://www.gothiccabinetcraft.com/york-bookcase-11-3-4-x-37-x-36/ </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326149 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:52:21 +0000 Mrs. Tricycle 1326149@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrs. Sketchbook - $173 still isn't cheap...but this one might do the trick: <a href="http://mobile.walmart.com/m/phoenix#ip/Wood-Designs-Contender-Baltic-Bookcase/23434741?type=search" rel="nofollow">http://mobile.walmart.com/m/phoenix#ip/Wood-Designs-Contender-Baltic-Bookcase/23434741?type=search</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326129 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:46:37 +0000 mediagirl 1326129@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: maybe look through Ana White's plans and show someone local what you want built? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326121 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:45:17 +0000 mediagirl 1326121@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: have you considered looking on your local craigslist for people who want to build things? There are always people on our local CL who are looking for jobs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326108 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:41:44 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1326108@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Tricycle: I was looking at your post! The funny thing is my dad is a fantastic woodworker, but he lives 3 hrs away so it is hard to put in a custom order and get it back in our car. Plus we don't get to see him very often! I'd like to try a hand at making it myself, but honestly, DIYs like this end up being so stressful for me, and dragging hubs into it just makes it worse! Maybe if I had a little experience already I would feel less daunted by it! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326099 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:39:09 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1326099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sarac: I agree....I only use the words 'montessori' because it implies that it is low to the ground and the toys are visible to the child, vs. being in a toybox, etc. I'm sure there is a better word for that that isn't as loaded as 'montessori,' I may just be ignorant of what that term is!</p> <p>I'm finding that a lot of the other options labeled 'for kids' usually incorporate bins of some sort, so definitely searching for bookshelves seems to yield the best results. </p> <p>Now if I can just find a way to avoid the particleboard. We just have so much of it in our house already! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326079 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:35:46 +0000 Mrs. Tricycle 1326079@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Sketchbook: I'd totally build you some cheap wooden ones if I lived nearby! Seriously, I think it's an afternoon project and I probably spent less than $100 on TWO shelves. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1326037 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:26:11 +0000 sarac 1326037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think that people worry too much about something being 'montessori'. All montessori furniture means is that it is at their level and fully accessible to them at all times. My montessori house is mostly a bunch of cheap-o old ikea bookshelves securely anchored to the wall. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325969 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:11:56 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1325969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Here's one where they say the 'frame is made of solid wood,' but I have no idea what that means! Does that mean that the middle is particleboard? Hmm....</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Foremost-329206-Modular-Storage-System/dp/B000O1CNTG/ref=cm_rdp_product" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Foremost-329206-Modular-Storage-System/dp/B000O1CNTG/ref=cm_rdp_product</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325956 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:09:39 +0000 Mrs. Confetti 1325956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>you could anchor the expedit to the wall, and put larger toys on the top of it (when tipped to be horizontal, of course) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325918 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 15:01:33 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1325918@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Alivoo01: how about screwed into the wall? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325894 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:57:49 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1325894@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@SweetMamaM: I've seen some pretty awesome shoe racks. There is a solid wood one on Amazon that I might get....</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Roundhill-Quality-Solid-Storage-Cherry/dp/B00D93AG2C/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&#038;ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1389124647&#038;sr=1-3&#038;keywords=solid+wood+shoe+rack" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Roundhill-Quality-Solid-Storage-Cherry/dp/B00D93AG2C/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&#038;ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1389124647&#038;sr=1-3&#038;keywords=solid+wood+shoe+rack</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325893 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:57:45 +0000 Alivoo01 1325893@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree with Mrs. Confetti that the alternative doesn't look stable or safe. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325887 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:56:45 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1325887@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Confetti: I like the expedit, but I'm trying to avoid laminate, since it will be in our living room. Which of course is driving the price sky-high! </p> <p>Also, does it get annoying to have the expedit if you have a toy that is longer than a foot tall/long (for example, a dump truck or something like that?). </p> <p>I wonder if I could screw them into the wall somehow! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325882 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:55:57 +0000 SweetMamaM 1325882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>They seem pretty good, although in saying that we also ended up ordering an expedit! We're hoping to raise our LO with a Montessori philosophy but we need to be budget conscious too. You do the best you can :happy: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325876 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:55:08 +0000 Ginabean3 1325876@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Confetti: Agreed! We have a 2x4 Ikea Expedit and it's perfect! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325868 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:53:53 +0000 Mrs. Confetti 1325868@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>That substitution looks like it would topple over</p> <p>I would get an ikea expedit set. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-do-you-think-of-this-as-a-substitute-for-montessori-shelves#post-1325800 Tue, 07 Jan 2014 14:44:46 +0000 Mrs. Sketchbook 1325800@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Trying to find some sort of toy storage. Ideally under 100 dollars, made of solid wood, and low enough to the ground that I don't have to worry about them toppling over. </p> <p>Ideally I'd splurge on this:<br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002KGVP6U/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&#038;colid=1JIBX3W6PPIYL&#038;coliid=I11HNYR5RQQ44K" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002KGVP6U/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&#038;colid=1JIBX3W6PPIYL&#038;coliid=I11HNYR5RQQ44K</a></p> <p>...but finances prevent it.</p> <p>But I'm thinking of buying these as an alternative:</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Furinno-2-33011-3-Tier-Storage-Natural/dp/B00H4IL6SG/ref=sr_1_18?s=home-garden&#038;ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1389123551&#038;sr=1-18&#038;keywords=solid+wood+bookshelf" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Furinno-2-33011-3-Tier-Storage-Natural/dp/B00H4IL6SG/ref=sr_1_18?s=home-garden&#038;ie=UTF8&#038;qid=1389123551&#038;sr=1-18&#038;keywords=solid+wood+bookshelf</a></p> <p>I think the best way to get something cheap would be to go thrifting, but I just don't see myself finding the time for that in the next few weeks, and I'd like a solution sooner than later. </p> <p>I am also considering solid wood shoe racks, but not sure if the shelves would be a little too short to put things like trucks on, etc. </p>