Rooted in Community: How Secondhand Treasures Are Growing Our School

What’s your best thrift find? I can think of two things. First, I snagged a Stokke Tripp Trapp chair which retails for $220, for a whopping $10! The former owner thought it was a plant stand. Second, my husband found a beautiful buffet from West Elm at Goodwill for $85. It retailed for over $500. There is nothing like the thrill of finding a deal.

Montessorians also have a penchant for combing the aisles of thrift stores, looking for unique pitchers, fun tongs or little objects. On the summer weekends, my husband will pull over to a yard sale and ask if I would like to scope out the spoon selection or baskets. These tiny treasures add personality, homeliness and joy to the classroom as they were individually selected with the children in mind.

Thrifting is a sustainable practice that is not hard to adopt. Not everything needs to be new. Children relish in the stories I tell them about how I came across a beautiful piece of artwork or small dish.

Children made nature journals out of recycled lunch bags, donated magazines and collected sticks.

Starting an authentic Montessori school from the ground up is expensive, to say the very least. Materials are built to last and are often handmade. Our initial budget lines for Montessori materials and furniture totaled $40,000. That’s a pretty modest estimate in my opinion. However, after teaching for over a decade, Alli and I have spent thousands of our own dollars to outfit our classrooms. We’ve been able to cut down our materials cost to $8,000 and our furniture to $5,000, a $27,000 savings. Even with this amount of savings, we are still working hard to trim our budget so we do not have to pass along start-up costs to families.

A major practice we’ve utilized is searching for quality secondhand pieces. Our friends over at Clover Montessori gifted us several shelves from a former toy store. These shelves alone saved us thousands of dollars. Last weekend I spent $35 and 3 hours removing rust and repainting the shelving materials. They look brand new! Clover also stored $400 worth of gently used Montessori materials from Craigslist. We are so thankful for their friendship and collaboration!

Working with my hands has always been a passion of mine. Whether I’m flexing my amateur sewing skills or creating a new Montessori work, there’s a deep sense of joy and fulfillment in making something yourself. This love of hands-on creation is perfectly aligned with the Montessori philosophy, where learning is deeply rooted in doing. In the Montessori classroom, children engage with real, tangible materials—pouring, sewing, scrubbing, sorting—not just to develop skills, but to cultivate independence, concentration, and a sense of purpose. Just as our students find joy in meaningful work with their hands, I find that same joy in building the environment that nurtures them.

Caitlin refinished shelving material for Mountain Laurel Montessori.

Recently I saw a funny reel that went like this…”My wife’s parents warned her about drugs, but not Facebook Marketplace.” Just a quick scroll reveals amazing items at very reasonable prices. We’ve acquired rugs, child-sized table and chair sets, plants, and so much more. These items have been well cared for and are going to enjoy a second life at Mountain Laurel Montessori.

Another treasure of Facebook are the neighborhood free groups. Roxborough neighbors have been so generous! Janine gave us two buckets of beautiful river rocks that will serve as name stones for children’s work. Amy gifted us several toilet paper rolls which we will turn into paper and bird feeders. Fred passed along a giant fish tank and Erin dropped off an adorable wall organizer. 

A student made an arcade game out of recycled materials.

What I’ve learned during this journey is that sustainability is another way to build community. I’ve met so many neighbors excited about our mission. Facebook Marketplace sellers are rooting us on through Messenger. The problems facing the planet are so daunting and sometimes keep me up at night. However, combing through the Marketplace gives me hope. Neighbors who pass along boxes and magazines instead of pitching them model care for the environment to our youngest learners. 

Climate activist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, author of What if We Get it Right? writes “our climate future is not yet written. What if we act as if we love the future?” This book is a collection of essays that contain data about what has worked in terms of climate change and why we should be hopeful about our future. 

Earth Day is not a one day, or even month long celebration at Mountain Laurel. Caring for our environment is a pillar of our work as Montessorians. It’s a lifelong process and we are excited to continue building community while taking care of Mother Nature.

Sustainable window display created with Spicebush Montessori.