Office Storage and Filing Cabinets

So, filing cabinets. Where do we start? Well firstly what is a filing cabinet? A filing cabinet is a unit of office furniture that is used to store documents, letters, files; in fact it is used to store just about any paper-based information you can possibly think of! Filing cabinets are almost exclusively used in offices, though they are also sometimes used at home, though usually in the same capacity as in an office - they are simply being used in a home office. They are very occasionally used by people to keep their personal documents in, though the rather uninteresting and bland appearance of filing cabinets in general means that this is quite rare, however there are companies who manufacture beautiful wooden filing cabinets which can be suitable for use in the home.

In general however filing cabinets are made of steel with a strong scratch-resistant paint applied over them. In general steel is used rather than wood because it is cheaper and stronger, and given the moving parts that are found on filing cabinets this is necessary to prolong the life of the unit. Obviously where wood is used all of the moving parts are still made of plastics and metal. Some wooding filing cabinets are built to be extremely strong, however wood is used rather than metal almost exclusively for aesthetical purposes; in all other departments metal filing cabinets are superior.

In 1886 Henry Brown, and African American inventor created a unit that kept files safe in the event of a fire. This was the first fire resistant unit in the world, and since then many have followed. Filing cabinets are extremely useful in this capacity, and thus are used to store important documents and data, usually under lock and key too. In 1898 Edwin Seibels invented the vertical filer. While working in his father's insurance office he discovered that the current system of folding papers into envelopes and storing them in pigeon holes was completely inefficient. His creation removed the need to fold the papers instead the documents were stored in hangfiles vertically in drawers.

Lateral filers are used to store documents sideways. In the United Kingdom these are called side filers. They are pretty much the standard order of the day in public sector offices and legal offices. The allow great variety in the way offices are laid out.

One major benefit of filing cabinets over other storage mediums such as cupboards and bookcases is that filing cabinets are an extremely efficient way to greatly utilise the office space available, where office space is at a premium, in that they store documents in a way that make the absolute best use of available space. Another benefit, as pointed out to me by Boris my associate (and it's a pretty obvious one I'm surprised I forgot to mention it) is that filing cabinets allow the user to safely and securely store sensitive documents and data under lock and key, and as mentioned earlier filing cabinets generally tend to be fire resistant or at least in the case of metal filing cabinets, less so with wooden filers so data is kept as safe as possible.

When it comes to purchasing a filing cabinet one should be aware of several key issues. Firstly, what sort of industry-recognised testing has been performed on the unit? Here in the UK FIRA test many items of office furniture to ensure that it is suitable for the tasks required of it. If you are in the market for filing cabinets it is well worth keeping your eyes open for these tell-tale test certificates which are generally an indication of a good-quality unit.

Another thing to look for is scratch resistant paintwork. Nobody wants to give their office a complete refit with nice new office furniture only to find that in 6 months time all of their filing cabinets have nasty looking scratches covering them from top to bottom. Also if you are going to be storing important documents - and lets be honest if the documents you are storing were not important you would have thrown them away - make sure the filing cabinet you buy is fire-proof.

In general though price will often be the determining factor, and with the basic design of filing cabinets changing very little since their conception, why wouldn't it be?

Someone is 40 today! Action office furniture - the world’s first open-plan furniture system by Herman Miller celebrates it's 40th Anniversary soon

The brainchild of Robert Propst in the 1960’s it will be an emotional day at The Office Exhibition, Dubai between 4th and 6th of February this year.

The show held in Zabeel K40 will celebrate an incredible furniture line which has made the company a whopping 5 Billion US Dollars over the past 40 year.

Back in the 1960's Robert Propst masterminded a component-based system that could be combined and recombined over time to perform whatever function was required of it, or simply to suit the style of the office. It was indeed a revolution in office furniture, some would say the important breakthrough since man began walking on 2 feet! People in the office furniture industry certainly gaze admiringly when the subject is raised. Robert Propst is to the office furniture industry what Pele is to Brazilian soccer.

It was the first panel-based office furniture system in the world and was the product of 10 years of thinking by Propst. For more than 3 decades the items have been selling by the lorry load. It has been a resounding success.

Today’s Action Office is making a comeback but with some improvements for the 21st century. The panels now have increased energy and cable load. The look is sleaker, more modern. Perfect for the workplace in 2008. Lots more options have also been added which include 120-degree planning, to suit each individual’s work process. Action office is likely to be a success again while combining many of the old benefits that made it so popular in the first place.

So we raise a glass and say happy 40th birthday Action Office.

New year resolutions are an age-old tradition in the United Kingdom. Join a gym, quit smoking, get a better job… for some reason the new year brings about a fresh sense of purpose in all of us. So why not take this opportunity to have a clear out in the office? Got papers strewn all over your office desks, filing cabinets a bit cluttered? The new year often represents the best time to have a good clearout as it tends to be one of the quietest times of the year.

Clutter on desks can become an obstacle stopping you working to your optimum efficiency. Papers everywhere to keep sifting through to find those crucial notes you made just before the Christmas holidays. It’s an old saying ‘tidy office, tidy mind’ but there is some truth in it. Nothing worse than having to return to work after the Christmas holidays and be presented with an office that looks like it was blitzed by a fleet of German bombers! Very depressing.

Well I would say when I go back to work after partying the new year in the first thing I am going to do is clear all the papers and garbage off my desks and give the whole place a nice fresh look. Clear out that cupboard that’s been hoarding junk for the last 12 months, and maybe even introduce some new office chairs into the mix? Who knows.

The post-it notes that are dotted all over the computer monitor are also on borrowed time!

So if your feeling a little hung-over after the festive season and want something to lift the gloom of returning to work, why not have a good clear out and make the environment you are working in a more pleasant place to be again. After all you spend most of your waking hours in the week there. You’ll feel much better for it.

OK so the subject of filing cabinets is hardly the most riveting or interesting subject one can read up on. You won’t be starting any conversations at the dinner table after reading this article. But hopefully once you are through you will have a better idea about what you should be looking for with regards to price when shopping for filing cabinets. Over the coming weeks I will be imparting my knowledge of this jaw-droppingly exciting topic upon this blog with the aim of shedding some light on the subject.

My name is Vic, and I have worked in the office furniture sector for several years now. When it comes to storing documents, filing cabinets remain the preferred choice of offices up and down the country. They make documents easy to find and you can use them to keep large quantities of paper in good order. So where shall we start? Firstly what sort of filing cabinets are you looking to get your mitts on? Yes, there are two types of filer; wooden filing cabinets and their far more popular steel counterparts. If you are trying to create a nice cosy atmosphere in the office, a row of steel filers may upset the feel of the office. If you don’t really care about this, go for the steel filing cabinets; they are stronger, cheaper and generally better all round.

Wooden filing cabinets however are pretty tough when bought from a reputable office furniture dealership. Unless you are planning to use one a makeshift sleigh after the Christmas party they will usually be plenty strong enough to last a long time. Of course they cost more, but they look much nicer and have the added bonus (being wood) of being able to be matches with other office furniture such as cupboards and desks. Making a good impression is important when taking customers around your company and you shouldn’t underestimate the value of having an attractive office layout of which the furniture plays a big role.

Steel filers are traditionally seen as the old workhorses of the office; strong, long lasting but ugly with flaky paintwork and inexplicable dents all over them (probably where the company accountant slammed her pointed shoe into it to close it once too often). But steel filing cabinets are making a fight back in the aesthetics stakes too just as wooden filers are in the strength contest; you can now buy steel filing cabinets in a range of fancy colours like yellow and blue, with tough powder-coated paintwork that it very difficult to scratch. And of course there’s the price. Under 70 quid if you shop around, this is something that wooden filers simply cannot compete on.

Do remember you British Standards test certificates though. Don’t go buying any cheap rubbish from EBay unless you know exactly what you’re getting. You buy a steel filer you are buying it to last. Look out for test certificates and guarantees whenever purchasing these items and you should be able to ensure it doesn’t all end in tears.

I will have more info about the technical aspects of these products up on this blog in the next few weeks so please keep it bookmarked! ;-)