What Are the Different Types of Home Office Filing Cabinets?

Home office filing cabinets come in a dizzying array of colors, shapes, materials and functions. Unlike the utilitarian business office environment, the home office filing cabinet blends in with other decorative furniture pieces to create a cozier workspace. A filing cabinet may be vertical or lateral and have one or more drawers. The cabinet may be constructed of metal for a more formal home office or of wood or wicker for a casual office. Some cabinets are heavy and immovable, while other lightweight cabinets sport small casters for added portability.

For the average home office, decor usually trumps function. The pragmatic, serviceable vertical file cabinets are extremely durable and will store thousands of file folders. Metal construction is cold and unsightly, however, with drawers sliding in and out to create loud noise that may grate family members. In response, manufacturers have created home office filing cabinets in warmer, more welcoming materials and designs to suit the more pleasant environment of home office decor.

Home office filing cabinets are usually constructed of solid or composite wood products. Solid wood cabinets with dove joints and hardware connections are more durable than composite cabinets that usually have glued joints and cam hardware connectors, but they are generally more expensive as well. Some manufacturers offer conscientious consumers environmentally responsible green home office supplies. These home office filing cabinets are crafted from renewable resources, such as bamboo and wicker. Less durable than solid wood, these cabinets are best suited for light use in the home office.

Most filing cabinets suited for home office use are smaller than their business office counterparts. The lateral style, popular for home office furnishings, usually consists of one or two drawers that extend only a fraction of the vertical type of home office filing cabinets. Lateral cabinets are usually much more attractive, featuring mellow wood tints or wood veneer with decorative handles and legs. Some lateral styles feature small shelves or narrow drawers for storing office supplies — perfect for the home office with limited space. The squat shape and open tabletop doubles as a furniture end table or lamp table.

Rolling file cabinets have plastic casters attached to the cabinet underside. These cabinets, usually small and lightweight, are best suited for light office use at home. Home office cabinets usually lack keyed locks, since there is generally no great need for security in home office organization as there is in a business office. Finally, some manufacturers offer customized home office furnishings with other matching furniture pieces to create a stylish look.