Card File Cabinets

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A vintage-inspired gem from the past, card file cabinets are a great way to keep all those little bits of paper organized. Not like regular drawers, index card drawers are immensely practical yet also attractive to look at. Characterized by their small drawers, perfect for notes or index cards, they come in a variety of colors and styles. Our interior design experts have selected some of the best card file cabinets so you can find your perfect match.

Chloe Hughes Interior Design Expert

Chloe is a highly-regarded expert in all things vintage and antique. She’s excited to share her vast knowledge with readers and clients wishing to infuse their homes with a mixture of old-time warmth and modern comfort. In addition to her design work, Chloe regularly volunteers at her local community center, teaching DIY projects to adults and kids.

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Updated 13/04/2023

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Card File Cabinets

Buying Guide

If you have a lot of file cards, you need something to keep them in. Shoe boxes might due, but card file cabinets are more durable.

What are the benefits of card file cabinets?

Some libraries, organizations, and individuals use them for storage because their cards have important information on them. What is on them is sometimes a part of history. Card file cabinets are also insurance in case of loss, meaning that going digital does not have to be the ultimate storage solution. In 2015, Concordia College in Bronxville, New York received from the Online Computer Center the shipment of cards it had ordered as a backup to its card catalog. Other reasons to use card file cabinets are that they offer:

Stylish storage
Top-flight organization because each drawer can be labeled
Satisfaction for people who prefer to work with paper

What kind of card file cabinet is best for small collections?

On file cards you can catalog collections of recipes, phonograph records, newspaper clippings or whatever you started collecting before the digital age. If you have a small space and a relatively small number of cards, choose from one of two 1-drawer card cabinets with a capacity of 1,500 3x5 or 4x6 cards. You might also choose a two-drawer file cabinet. One is in gray with top-on-top boxes and another is mahogany-colored with side-by-side boxes.

What card file cabinets are best for large collections?

If you have a lot of cards (or checks), one possible selection is a cabinet made of gray steel that has seven drawers. If you want to protect your cards from fire, choose the 6-drawer, beige-colored cabinet that is 1-hour UL fire rated. It can also survive impact from 30 feet and withstand a 2000 degree explosion. Another choice is a 7-drawer steel cabinet in gray that has the added protection of having drawers that can be locked.
If you have a large collection but not much space, try a slim-Jim solution in dark wood with a distressed finish. It hugs your wall while giving you 49 drawers of storage space. The look of it is comparable to the card files you find in older historical societies and libraries that have retained their physical card files.
If you really want to have a replica of one of the old card cabinets in your home or office, then get the 90-drawer file that has pulls. It also has a self-contained, pull-out table for ease in removing drawers and fingering through their contents.
If the colors gray or brown do not appeal to you, how about a card file cabinet in green-colored metal? It has 27 drawers and a door. One 30-drawer card file cabinet has four metal legs to give it a more contemporary look. To store large, flat materials such as blueprints and maps, choose a 9-drawer cabinet with a cobalt blue finish. It has two pulls on each drawer.

You do not have to use the latest technology to get organized. Choose from one of the large variety of card file cabinets available.