Filing cabinets have long been a mainstay in offices all around the world. However, when we think of filing cabinets, it’s usually the more common vertical filing cabinets that spring to mind rather than their lateral counterparts. Despite this, the latter has a number of key advantages that could make a lateral filing cabinet the perfect choice for your office.
With that said, lateral filing cabinets offer enough advantages and flexibility that they are at least worth considering for most. Use online promo codes to save more on your storage solutions.
The Difference Between Vertical and Lateral Filing Cabinets
Vertical and lateral filing cabinets both allow for the easy and convenient organization of and access to documents in a way that other storage solutions do not. However, they do have one major difference separating them.
This difference is the layout of the drawers and the cabinet as a whole, with vertical filing cabinets being taller with more narrow drawers and lateral filing cabinets generally being shorter and wider, with drawers to match.
The Advantages of Lateral Filing Cabinets
Whilst it may be easy to dismiss the differences between lateral and vertical filing cabinets as being merely cosmetic or otherwise unimportant, this is far from the case. Their unique design means that lateral filing cabinets can offer some key advantages over the vertical alternatives.
Wide Drawers
The wide drawers of lateral filing cabinets allow for easier storage of large files such as ring binders and, depending on the exact specifications of the cabinet in question, can often contain more documents in total per drawer. This means that if a client or project has a large number of files associated with them, they can be kept together in one drawer. This helps things stay more organized than if a vertical filing cabinet was used, requiring the files to be spread across multiple drawers.
Improved Visibility and Faster Retrieval Speed
The layout of the drawers in lateral filing cabinets means that files are more easily visible which, in turn, makes it easier to find what you’re looking for. This, combined with more consistent file placement than is commonly found in vertical filing cabinets, makes for a smoother workflow that is much less disrupted by searching for files and folders.
Various Size Options
Although they are available in different heights, the width of vertical filing cabinets is determined by their need to fit suspension files, meaning that customers only have one option when it comes to drawer width. This is not the case with lateral filing cabinets, meaning that they are available in a greater range of sizes as both width and height can vary. The additional flexibility offered by this helps you to get the most from your space.
Better Utilization of Space
Despite their greater width meaning more space is taken up along the wall, lateral filing cabinets often provide better overall space utilization and storage efficiency. Not only are their drawers wider but they also don’t extend out as far from the cabinet when opened. This reduces their effective footprint as less space is needed to use it unobstructed and reduces the chances that it will unintentionally obstruct those walking past while it is being used. The overall impact of this is that a lateral filing cabinet will use the area beside the wall efficiently while having minimal impact on the rest of the space.
Usage of the Additional Surface Area
With their broader shape, lateral filing cabinets have a large surface on top that can serve a variety of purposes. The most obvious of these is for additional storage, something which some lateral cabinets embrace with shelves or cupboards extending upwards. Alternatively, the right height cabinet can be used as a workspace, either on its own or more commonly to extend a desk, providing the person using it with more room to work as well as a very convenient storage solution.
Is a Lateral Filing Cabinet the Right Option for You?
Storage solutions aren’t one size fits all and every business or home office has its own individual needs and requirements. With that said, lateral filing cabinets offer enough advantages and flexibility that they are at least worth considering for most.
