Having a well-organized filing system is essential to any office as it puts all important information in a place where it can be accessed quickly. Like other office products, the quality of filing cabinets ranges from poor to outstanding. As they can last for many years, it’s important that you find those that will complement your working style.
Buy cabinets with full-suspension drawers. The suspension system in good drawers roll on ball-bearings so the drawers can pull out the entire way, allowing you to see all of the contents. Cabinets with better stability let you only open one drawer at a time.
If you have limited wall space, vertical cabinets are a better choice. Make sure your cabinets have sufficient width, which will avoid having to fold documents, avoid crease lines and give you more overall room. Vertical cabinets usually come in letter and legal sizes. Lateral cabinets are more versatile and as they are shorter and are suitable for use as a workspace.
Consider buying cabinets made to withstand fire. Fireproof cabinets are much more expensive than normal cabinets, so pay attention to the rating. Some are only designated “fire-resistant,” while others will state that they can withstand flames for one, two or five hours. These cabinets are not fail-safe, however, so it’s important that you keep computer back-ups of documents off-site or in the cloud.
You can purchase file cabinets at a physical store or online. Going to a store allows you to view, first-hand, what type is right for you. However, you must arrange for shipping to your office. Buying online is another option as the prices and selection are much better. A possible drawback to this method is that you may have to do the set-up on your own.
If you are still not sure what type of cabinets are right for you Office Innovations can help. Our staff can provide you with advice as well as set-up for filing cabinets and other types of office necessities.
