Many homeschool families follow the Montessori method of setting up a hands-on learning environment – complete with cultural, artistic, scientific, and other educational materials – to encourage the exciting process of discovery.
Montessori-style homeschooling places an emphasis on kids of all ages playing and working together, with older children sharing their knowledge with the younger ones. The parent teacher’s role primarily involves letting the students follow their interests. There are no formal grades, as assessment is by portfolio and observation.
One of the main appeals of the Montessori method is the extensive use of natural materials, such as handcrafted wooden toys and furniture. The Montessori philosophy minimizes using plastic and synthetic materials, opting instead for eco-friendly and sustainable alternatives.
If you’re thinking of getting a Montessori bookcase cubby organizer, let me tell you about two of them that we have. They’re great multipurpose shelving units, and at first glance they look a lot alike, so you might be surprised at the differences between them.
Natural Hardwood Bookcase
You can get the ERUGI bookcase with either two or three tiers, as shown above. We ordered the one with three tiers, because you can never have enough storage. The compartments are aesthetically arranged and can’t be changed. They’re great for organizing books, games, etc. into sections by subject or category.
This bookcase comes with four of the cutest little wheels (not shown) and they’re super sturdy, so you can make it into a moveable cabinet if you want to. We didn’t put the wheels on since we’re just using it for storage inside a closet where it won’t be moved. I’m kind of sad that ours is hidden away, though, because the ERUGI bookcase is excellent quality and looks good enough to place in the living room!
If I had to choose, this would be my favorite of the two bookcases, I love the natural finish, the smooth rounded edges, and the solid wood construction. The shelves do have a few rough spots, but the finish is a clear glossy lacquer so it’s easy to wipe clean. The assembly process was pretty straightforward – they even include a screwdriver! – and it takes about a half hour. Buy the ERUGI bookcase on Amazon.
Birch Plywood Storage Cabinet
Even though the BBGROUNDGRM Birch Plywood Storage Cabinet is marketed as a Montessori cubby organizer for children’s rooms, it can be used for many purposes. For example, it’s a decent height for use as a TV console, and you can store lots of DVDs underneath (with enough room to double up two rows on each shelf, one behind the other). The five compartments must be installed as is and can’t be rearranged. The two side ends are slightly higher than the top surface, which prevents anything you put on there from falling off the edge.
I like how the bottom shelf is raised off the floor and closed in with a kickplate to keep dust bunnies from getting into the bottom shelf or hiding underneath. The unit that we got measures slightly different than what the product description says. Ours is 42” long x 11.75” wide. The two sides are 23.25” high and the top shelf is 22.5” high. The lower shelves all have a good 9.25” clearance. The boards are only about a half inch thick, but the unit is pretty sturdy once it’s all put together.
The edges are rounded so no sharp corners. I love the natural solid wood construction. The shelves are decent quality, although they’re raw birch wood and are not finished in any way. This bookcase is good enough for a bedroom, playroom, or den, but it’s not living room quality if you know what I mean. The main advantage of this one is that you could varnish or paint it yourself, so it would be a nice project for DIYers who want to add their own personal touch.
This storage cabinet comes with a full color instruction sheet, but the shelf pieces aren’t marked with letters like it shows on the instructions! So you have to figure out which piece is which by looking at the hole configurations and where the slots are. The whole thing is screwed together using the included allen wrench. It helps to have one person holding the pieces straight while a second person is attaching them. We got to the last two holes and they were either in the wrong place or not there at all. So we had to drill a couple of holes to put the last two screws in. The screws are countersunk but you can still see them. Buy the Birch Plywood Storage Cabinet on Amazon.
Either of these bookcases would be a useful multipurpose piece of furniture whether you’re using it for toy storage, books, games, homeschool supplies, or anything really!
