7 Advantages of Lateral Filing Cabinets

Although technology has progressed so much, the idea of preserving paperwork is still relevant. Among office furniture, cabinets are the best places to keep files and paperwork. Different cabinets are used for various purposes.

Some people are comfortable with vertical filing cabinets, while others swear by the advantages of lateral filing cabinets. The main point of both sides is simple: you can’t have an organized workspace without a filing system.

So, before you consider any file cabinet for your office or home, it’s better to know about the good and bad of all the available cabinets on the market. Therefore, to help you out, in this article, we will talk about the advantages of lateral filing cabinets.

Advantages of Lateral Filing Cabinets

There was a time when offices were using vertical filing cabinets. The introduction of lateral filing cabinets and their added benefits has pushed people to switch to them. Lateral file cabinets are preferred over vertical cabinets because of several reasons. Below we have mentioned some of the advantages of lateral filing cabinets.

Accommodate More Paperwork

 

One of the biggest disadvantages of a vertical filing cabinet is that they don’t have room for a large stock of paperwork. On the contrary, a lateral filing cabinet can give you this added advantage. The drawers of a lateral filing cabinet are wide; thus, you can store more documents and files in them.

Less Likely to Topple

Lateral filing cabinets have a large storage capacity, so it’s natural to think about the risk of them getting toppled.

Don’t worry, they are designed in such a way that they store more records and don’t topple at the same time.  Thus ensuring that your file folders remain in their places.

Ideal for Limited Space Environment

You might be thinking that how can a file cabinet with more storage capacity occupy limited space? No, it doesn’t. Lateral file cabinets do occupy more floor space (which is its biggest disadvantage), but it does facilitate users.

How? A lateral filing cabinet lets you view your drawer contents without pulling the respective drawer out completely. What’s more exciting than that?

Access Files Easily

Another advantage of lateral filing systems is that you can easily access your files and paperwork in any of the drawers.

You don’t have to thumb through your unlimited number of files to reach that specific one you are looking for.

Versatility in Features

Lateral filing systems also allow you to experience versatility in the organization of files. Traditionally, you set your files and paperwork from one side of the cabinet to the other. But you can also try inserts that come with most of the lateral filing systems. Using them, you can arrange your files from front to back with multiple rows for each drawer.

Provide more Filing Room

Lateral filing cabinets provide around one-third more filing room than vertical filing systems. This is because a lateral file cabinet is available at desk heights.

Moreover, a lateral file cabinet can keep more files in a drawer, which lets you enjoy more room to store documents.

Perfect Fit for All Paper Sizes

One of the best things about lateral file cabinets is that they ideally store different folder sizes, including legal, letters, A4, or F4 sizes. What else do you want? There is a one-place solution for all of your files and paperwork.

Some of the Disadvantages of Lateral File Cabinets

Now you might be thinking about the other side of the picture. You are right; everything has some good as well as bad points. Lateral file cabinets also are no exception to that. But the advantages of lateral filing cabinets far outweigh their disadvantages. Let’s have a look at some of their drawbacks:

Occupy More Floor Space

Lateral cabinets occupy more floor space, making them a misfit for limited space areas. So, you must compromise on your choice if you have a space issue.

Vertical cabinets are a good choice for you as they are space friendly. So, for offices with less floor space, vertical filing systems are a good option.

A Little Expensive

With all the advantages mentioned earlier, one can easily guess that a lateral file cabinet is a bit more expensive than the vertical one. But that makes sense too. Paying a little extra will be justified if you get more, and that too with quality.

Bulky and Difficult to Move

Because a lateral cabinet stores more paperwork, it will be bulky. Thus, moving it will be quite a task.  On the other side, a vertical filing cabinet has less storage space, so they can be forced a little easier.

Choosing the Perfect Office Filing Cabinet

While you set up your office space, the struggle to find the best match for your requirements is real. You will find a huge variety of office filing systems in the market. Most lateral and vertical file cabinets come with one to five drawers.

Also, these cabinets are made of various materials such as leather, metal, steel, plastic, wood, etc. Similarly, almost all have the option of either floor or wall mount. In addition, keep a price range between $20 and $200 and above in your mind while you search for your office filing cabinet.

Bottom Line!

Now that you have had an idea about the advantages of lateral filing cabinets along with some disadvantages, with a pinch of its comparison with a vertical file cabinet, our job is done. But before you jump straight into that, make sure to consult any experts in office furniture.

Explain your requirements and expectations to them so that they can recommend to you the most efficient office filing system. We don’t want your money to go to waste.

We would like to hear from you about which file cabinet you will buy. Share your experience with us.