In this guide, I will explain why choosing the right filing cabinets for a home office is important, and provide some expert advice on doing just that.
Everything needs to be in the right place, in order for it to do its job and make your life easier. There are a few reasons for this and the first is that if you are not in the vicinity of your work area, you might find it difficult to move around and work.
The second is that different things you will require in a variety of locations. For example, when you are working at home, there are certain things which you always need access to such as your desk, computer monitor or also a smartphone and tablet.
In terms of office cabinets; they come in many shapes and sizes. You can choose a filing cabinet which is perfectly designed according to your requirements or just grab one which will do the job well enough for what you need it for.
In this article we look at some options available in the market and why some of them may be more suitable than others, depending on their intended purposes. We also show how easy it is to pick up good quality filing cabinets for a home office for less than you’d probably think.
3 Drawer Mobile Pedestal (Source)
Finding the best filing cabinets for a home office
The home office is a place where you work, where your family is, and where you relax. It’s important to choose a home office cabinet that will provide you with the right combination of functions. You need to find the right balance between storage, organisation and aesthetics.
These cabinets are often used for storing paper documents (letters, invoices) or computer files (copies of important information). They usually come with built-in metal filing dividers that make it easy to keep everything organised in one place and avoid the clutter that can easily happen when there’s too much stuff around on top of each other.
Keep those papers out of sight with file folders made out of plastic so they don’t get destroyed by sharp things or even regular wear-and-tear from everyday use.
Keep in mind that the choice of which office cabinet to buy depends on several factors:
The type of work you do: if you need a high-quality and durable piece of equipment, go for a heavy duty (and expensive) model; if you are a student and need something light and airy to take notes with, go for a cheap model (especially if it’s going to be used in your apartment).
The design and style of your home office: whether you want something formal or industrial; how relaxed or formal you prefer. A modern classic style can be just as functional as industrial designs, but there is more room for personalisation and customisation with industrial styles.
The size of the space: even though most offices have some storage space, bigger spaces usually require larger cabinets with more storage space and fewer doors to keep track of things around the house or office).
Will it fit in your home office, and where?
Before you start choosing filing cabinets for a home office, ask yourself if you have the room for one, and where in your home office will it go? There is no sense in trying to organise your office when it simply won’t fit well into your space. Therefore, do not buy any home office items if they won’t fit well into the place where you are going to put them!
You can choose different kinds of home office furniture and storage, but it is also important that you keep in mind that where you put your furniture is as important as what you put in it.
5 Drawer Metal Filing Cabinet (Source)
What to look for in filing cabinets for a home office
There are just a few things that matter to you when settling for filing cabinets for a home office. Of course, the most important thing is getting the right one. That’s what this article was written to help you with.
There’s a number of considerations you need to be thinking about when you’re looking to purchase filing cabinets for a home office.
Size
The very first thing is what size filing cabinet do you require? Is it an under desk one (Australian desks are typically 72-80cm high) or do you need a free standing one with say three or four drawers?
We aren’t just talking the external size either. Different drawers are made to carry different sized paperwork. Do you need one that suits only A4, or larger US sized papers, etc?
Workload
No, not your workload!
The next question is how much are you going to use it? If it’s something that’s primarily for storage one of the less expensive models will probably work just fine. If this filing cabinet is something you’re going to be using every day, and getting paperwork in and out all the time, then you will want a stronger, more durable filing cabinet – some people would call this commercial-grade filing cabinet.
These cabinets tend to have a better gauge metal, and the sliding components use ball bearings, etc so the quality is much better however that comes at a price.
Colour
No longer do you have to settle with ugly grey filing cabinets for a home office. You can now get cabinets in wood veneer, bright colours like yellow and red, and more. You could even cover your filing cabinet in contact or wallpaper, to give it a new look.
What colour of cabinet will suit the rest of your home office decor? Will it work with any wall art you have in your workspace?
Locks
The next consideration when choosing filing cabinets for a home office, is do you require yours to be lockable? Some models have a lock at the top that locks the entire filing cabinet, and others have a set up where there is a lock situated on the second drawer, and that secures the top two drawers only, or vice versa with the bottom drawers.
When you have narrowed down your choices, you should start to look at the smaller things, such as;
Sliding components
High quality cabinets will feature smooth gliding elements, such as ball bearings and suspension drawers.
Drawer sides
Quality filing cabinets will have high sides which prevent files from falling out when they are opened. I’ve had cheap ones before, and if you opened the drawer too quickly, you’d end up wearing half the cabinets contents – that’s not fun.
Wheels
When choosing your cabinet, is it fitted with wheels so it can easily be moved around? A number of models also feature built-in brakes to keep the cabinet in position and provide stability.
Assembly
Will it be provided already assembled, or will you need to do it? If the latter, how easy is the filing cabinet to assemble, and does it come with all the tools and accessories required for you to assemble it?
Warranty
What sort of warranty will the filing cabinet come with? The last thing you want to do is have to replace it, however if it does break, what happens next? Also, consider the freight. Filing cabinets are not light – you won’t be dropping one in a letterbox for Australia Post to deliver!
Conclusion
The right choice in filing cabinets for a home office can make all the difference when it comes to space and organising your stuff. And in case you think this is something that only applies to companies with offices, we’ve also got a post on where to find the right office storage.
If you’re looking for ways to maximise space in your home office or simply want to upgrade to a better storage device, read on. Here are our top recommendations for the best home office storage options for the money!