File cabinets are available in a variety of styles, levels of quality, and sizes. File cabinets are the perfect way to organize and access all of your documents. File cabinets are able to be flexible and useful pieces that can be used to furnish nearly any office or room in your home.

You will able to choose between metal  or oak file cabinets. Wood is the most attractive and durable material to search for, specifically solid oak. It will be an attractive addition to your office or home and last for years.

There are many styles of wood file cabinets to choose from. These styles include Traditional, Mission, and Contemporary. They are available in the standard sizes which include:

• Letter – Letter sized filing cabinets will normally hold just 8.5″ x 1″ papers, but they can also be used to store legal files that are 8.5” x 11”.
• Legal – Legal sized fill cabinets are designed to hold both 8.5” x 11” and 8.5” x 14” documents.
• Lateral – Lateral file cabinets are with two or three drawers and usually hold both 8.5” x 11” and 8.5” x 14” papers.
• Personal – personal file cabinets are usually smaller and will hold just 8.5” x 11” letter size files.

Both legal and letter size file cabinets can be used for the alternate size files by moving the metal brackets.

File cabinets are available with 2, 3, 4, and 5 drawers. In order to decide which file cabinet will work best for your needs, you need to think about the amount of file storage that is needed, and if there is anything else that you can use the file cabinet for. It can be used like a piece of furniture and used as a credenza, a video tape or DVD cabinet, storage chest, or an end table. You can use it to hold a coffee machine, copier, fax machine, or a printer.

If you want to use it to store things at the height of metal or oak desks, you will want to go with a 2-drawer file cabinet. The 2-drawer cabinet will provide you with a platform that is 30-inches high. If you were to line up several of them in a row, you will have a nice large surface. A lateral file cabinet will give you the same effect, without the seam down the middle. If you plan to use the file cabinets fro this purpose, search for file cabinets that have flush sides so there are no gaps between the file cabinets.

If you need more storage you should consider buying a 3-drawer file cabinet. These cabinets stand 43″ high and offer more storage per square foot of floor space. You can have plenty of storage and still put light items such as plants on top. A 4-drawer file cabinet is about 55-inches in height and offers a huge amount of storage. Sometimes you can find a taller 5-drawer file cabinet if you need more storage, but these are rare. It is suggested that only things that are very light be placed on top of the 4 and 5 drawer cabinets.

SAFETY FIRST!
Remember how much weight is in the file cabinet. Any piece of furniture that holds a great deal of weight may be dangerous. File cabinets can be dangerous since they can tip over and crush things. Heavy and large file drawers are usually responsible for causing the cabinet to tip forward. Fortunately, there are some things that can be done to minimize the danger.

• Do not fill the file on the top drawer while leaving lower drawers empty.
• As mentioned above, do not open more than one drawer at a time.
• Attach file cabinets to the wall to prevent tipping.
• Where possible, put your heaviest items in bottom drawer (to act as an anchor).
• Do not put attractive items like TV’s or games on top of furniture that is tip prone unless it is properly tethered. Children climbing up to retrieve the remote control or turn on the TV can meet with horrible consequences.