6 Best Types of Filing Cabinets for Office Use

Before we proceed to the types of filing cabinets for your office, let’s consider whether you truly need a filing cabinet for your office. If so, what features should you consider?

It will help you make the right decision! Let’s begin!

No matter what sector of the marketplace you may be in, having a good filing system is a necessity for operating a successful and thriving business.

And a safe and secure filing system always uses filing cabinets to organize documents. A filing system has many benefits that you might not get with digital storage.

Despite the fact that some companies use digital storage for specific purposes, there are still many instances where good old-fashioned hard copy records are still required.

And you need filing cabinets for that!

Once you understand that you need a filing cabinet, the next step is research.

Perhaps you need a guide to help you buy your file cabinet, or at the very least, you should ensure that you know what type of filing cabinet you need.

They come in a wide range of sizes and shapes, each with unique benefits and qualities. For instance, you might require a lateral filing cabinet to store your paperwork while also providing a surface to keep other items on.

On this page

Determine the filing cabinets you need

Despite the fact that file cabinets are fantastic for all types of paperwork, you can store years of paperwork easily, but some types of documents do not fit within ordinary filing cabinets.

So, it’s important to take into account the kind of documents you plan to save so that the storage option you pick is appropriate.

There could be many things to consider. For instance:

How many files do you need to store, you’ll need to decide what size cabinet you need.
The second thing you should consider is the kind of files you’ll be storing and the kind of cabinet that would work best for those files.
Is there anything you want to put in to make your place look good?
If the materials you’re storing don’t fit in a filing cabinet, you might need to look into alternative options in order to find a storage solution that works for the items you’re storing.
Also, you should think about the cabinet’s quality and longevity, as well as the level of security you need for your information.

Finally, you must consider your financial situation and select a filing cabinet that satisfies your requirements while remaining within your means.

Features of a filing cabinet:

When selecting file cabinets, you should also think about the features you want to seek. A number of considerable features are:

Locking techniques to protect files
Different drawer sizes to support various file types
File-organizing dividers that can be adjusted
Label holders to make each drawer’s contents easier to identify
Counterbalanced features to keep the cabinet from toppling over
Various textures and hues to complement the furnishings in your office
Various materials, including wood, metal, and plastic, to fit your preferences
A variety of sizes and forms to suit your storage and space demands

These characteristics can assist you in selecting the ideal filing cabinet for your requirements and facilitate the storage and access of your documents.

Here are the best-selling filing cabinets for office use.

Now let’s move forward to the best types of filing cabinets that you can use for your office.

Horizontal Filing Cabinets

Horizontal filing cabinets are wider and shorter than conventional vertical filing cabinets. The drawers extend from side to side, and they are made to accommodate files horizontally.

Large documents like plans, maps, and artwork can be stored in this sort of filing cabinet with ease.

For offices with little space, horizontal filing cabinets are also fantastic. They are an excellent alternative for saving space because they can be positioned against a wall or in a corner.

Additionally, because the drawers expand side to side, it is possible to access files without bending over or reaching very high.

Vertical filing cabinets:

Vertical file cabinets favor height over width in their design. They typically have a lot of drawers, unless it’s a smaller, vertical file cabinet with only two drawers. Their width typically ranges from 15 to 20 inches.

However, because of their vertical construction, the drawers can be both deep and narrow. A front-to-back arrangement is the most effective way to file papers in vertical file cabinets.

Although they have a large capacity for storage, they work best when you wish to organize different documents into categories because this will make the most of the available drawers.

The common file system used in most offices is referred to as vertical file cabinets. Since they are robust and take up relatively little space due to their vertical shape, they have remained a mainstay in offices all around the world.

A vertical file cabinet can be the ideal solution for you if your office is small or you have a restricted amount of space.

Many small businesses might prefer vertical filing cabinets because they are easy to organize, affordable, durable, and secure.

Lateral filing cabinets:

Similar to horizontal filing cabinets, lateral filing cabinets are made to hold documents horizontally. They contain more drawers than horizontal filing cabinets, although they are often higher.

When there are many employees who need access to files, lateral filing cabinets are often used in larger workplaces.

One of the main benefits of lateral filing cabinets is that they have an extremely long lifespan. Their strength and durability come from the high-quality materials they are normally composed of, like steel or wood.

The majority of offices like lateral filing cabinets because they are adaptable and can hold a variety of files, including larger papers like blueprints and maps as well as files that are larger in size like letters and legal-sized documents.

Additionally, lateral filing cabinets offer easy access to files and are frequently more space-efficient than vertical filing cabinets

Pedestal Filing Cabinets

If you want file cabinets that will keep your office orderly and clutter-free, invest in pedestal file cabinets.

Small drawers and a file drawer are included in pedestal file cabinets. These cabinets are available with recessed metal pulls or regular contoured plastic pulls.

The file drawer’s high walls enable folders to be suspended and fully extend out, giving you and your staff total access.

Pedestal filing cabinets have the advantage of being conveniently accessible, which is one of their key advantages. Files are easily accessible because they are under the desk, which may boost productivity.

These cabinets are designed to fit beneath a desk and frequently hang out in a cubicle arrangement in an office. A variety of options include larger filing drawers underneath the top drawers for office supplies.

They are perfect for holding frequently used files and normally have two or three drawers. Small workplaces or home offices with little space are ideal for pedestal cabinets

Mobile file cabinets:

Mobile filing cabinets have wheels that allow you to move them around the office. Mobile filing cabinets may have lock mechanisms to safeguard your files because they can hold more documents and are taller than pedestal filing cabinets.

Mobile file cabinets were created with the goal of offering the most storage space while using the least amount of floor space possible.

The standard for movable cabinets is to include two drawers, either vertically or laterally, at a minimum. In order to save space, the majority of mobile cabinets are specifically made to fit conveniently beneath a desk.

Some mobile cabinets have two faces, which allows the user to turn the cabinet in both directions to show a different file column on each side.

Mobile cabinets can also be used to manage letters and legal documents. The only drawback is their small size, which prevents them from accommodating many letter files.

Fireproof file storage cabinets:

Fireproof file cabinets are made thicker and stronger to protect any data inside. They are essential for businesses that have irreplaceable and vital documents

They are frequently used to store extremely private and crucial documents that you can’t afford to lose or have damaged

In addition to being fireproof, many fireproof cabinets are also water-safe and difficult to enter without a key or locking code

Fireproof file cabinets are the perfect option for any office that deals with sensitive information because of their high level of protection.

To safeguard crucial papers like contracts, financial information, and legal documents in offices, fireproof file cabinets are a necessity

A business may suffer severe consequences if these documents are lost in a fire, including monetary losses, legal problems, and reputational harm

Overall, purchasing fireproof file cabinets is a wise investment for companies of all sizes since they can guarantee that their records won’t be harmed by fire, providing them with security and safety in the worst-case scenario.

Final thought:

Whether you work for a large corporation or run a small business, having the right filing cabinet is essential to maintaining a productive, organized, and profitable office.

You can choose the ideal storage solution to suit your particular needs from the range of alternatives available, including vertical and lateral filing cabinets. You can secure your important records, improve workflow, and establish a productive workspace by making an investment in high-quality filing cabinets. Don’t let clutter and disarray prevent you from achieving your goals.

Choose the ideal filing cabinet for your office right away to get things started, and you’ll soon notice how it may improve your environment