Office storage solutions come in three core forms for a workstation plan: pedestals that live under or beside the desk, lateral files that anchor a station or a shared zone, and storage towers that add vertical capacity and privacy. Picking the right mix is less about catalog shopping and more about understanding what your team keeps within arm's reach every day.
This guide walks through each option, how to size storage per role, and how to buy pre-owned pieces without surprises.
Start with the work, not the furniture
Before you pick a single file cabinet, find out what people store. A quick five-minute survey per department usually answers the question. Ask three things:
- What paper do you keep, and how often do you touch it? Active files belong at the desk. Archive files belong in a shared room or offsite.
- What personal items need to be locked up? Bags, laptops and headsets drive the need for a lockable drawer more than paper does.
- Do you work at one desk every day? Hybrid and hoteling staff need lockers or shared storage, not a personal file cabinet that sits empty three days a week.
Most offices end up with two or three storage standards instead of one. That is fine, and it usually costs less than giving everyone the maximum.
Pedestals, lateral files and towers compared
| Type | Best for | Typical placement | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mobile pedestal | Personal items, light active files | Under the worksurface, rolls out as needed | Height must clear the underside of the desk and any keyboard tray |
| Fixed or hanging pedestal | Clean floor, easier cleaning | Mounted under the worksurface | Needs compatible mounting hardware for your workstation system |
| Lateral file, 2 drawer | Active files, doubles as a worksurface or return | End of a station, along a wall | Depth eats into aisle space in tight plans |
| Lateral file, 3 to 5 drawer | Shared department files | Workrooms, perimeter walls | Must be anchored and only one drawer opened at a time |
| Storage tower | Coats, supplies, vertical privacy | At a station entry or as a divider | Can block light and sightlines if overused |
Pedestals
Pedestals are the default personal storage for most workstations. A common configuration is a box drawer over a file drawer, with a lock. Mobile units are flexible and easy to reassign during a reconfiguration. Hanging units keep the floor clear, which helps with cleaning and with legroom in smaller stations like a 6'x6'.
Lateral files
A two-drawer lateral file at the end of a station does double duty. It holds files and gives people a surface for a printer, plants or a quick meeting. Taller laterals belong in shared areas. Always confirm they are anchored or counterweighted and that interlocks work so only one drawer can open at once.
Storage towers
Towers combine a wardrobe section with shelves or drawers. They are useful where staff arrive with coats and gear, and they can soften an open plan by adding a partial visual barrier. Use them at station entries or along aisles rather than in every cluster, or the floor starts to feel closed in.
Sizing storage across a workstation plan
Once you know your role types, map each to a storage standard. A simple approach:
- Digital-first roles: one mobile or hanging pedestal per person.
- Paper-heavy roles: pedestal plus a two-drawer lateral at the station.
- Hybrid or shared seating: no personal pedestal; add a bank of lockers or a tower near the neighborhood.
- Department records: shared tall laterals in a workroom, sized to current volume plus modest growth.
Then walk the plan. Look for aisles that storage narrows, windows that towers block, and outlets that cabinets will cover. Office Station offers free space planning, so you can have storage placed in the layout before you commit to quantities.
Build a workstation and storage quote
Buying pre-owned storage
Steel storage is built to outlast the leases it sits through, which makes it a strong pre-owned category. Office Station sells pre-owned designer furniture from brands such as Herman Miller, Steelcase, Knoll, Haworth, Teknion, Allsteel and Kimball as an independent reseller, not an authorized dealer. That means manufacturer warranties generally do not transfer, so inspect with care.
Pre-owned pieces are graded by condition:
- Grade A: like new.
- Grade B: very good, with light signs of use.
- Grade C: good, fully functional with visible wear.
Grade C can make sense for workroom laterals that nobody sees, while grade A or B fits client-facing areas.
Pre-owned storage checklist
- Drawers open and close smoothly at full extension, loaded and empty.
- Locks work and keys are included, or a re-keying plan is in place.
- Anti-tip interlocks function on laterals.
- Finish and color are consistent across the quantity you need.
- Pedestal height and mounting match your workstation system.
- Casters roll and do not mark the floor type you have.
Timing and cost
If your storage is part of a workstation order, it follows the same general lead times. Liquidation-grade furniture in stock can be ready in as little as 72 hours. Remanufactured furniture usually takes 7 to 14 days. New furniture typically runs 4 to 6 weeks.
For context on the workstation side, a 6'x6' workstation furniture-only price runs $615 liquidation-grade, $1,245 remanufactured and $1,920 new. Those prices exclude electrical, delivery and professional installation. Installation is $95 per workstation with a $495 minimum. Greater Phoenix delivery is $195 central or $295 metro, and freight elsewhere is quoted per project. Volume pricing takes 5% off at 20 or more stations, 8% at 50 or more and 12% at 100 or more.
Browse current pre-owned office furniture or used cubicles to see what is available to pair with your storage plan.
What to do with the storage you are replacing
If new storage is part of a move, the old cabinets still have value. Office Station's office furniture liquidation service provides a written net offer: the resale value of the furniture minus the removal cost. When that number is positive, you get paid. Walkthroughs typically happen within 48 hours in Greater Phoenix and 2 to 3 business days elsewhere, with offers within 5 business days.
Empty every drawer first, and pull any devices or media for e-waste handling. For a full move-out, see office decommissioning, which includes itemized inventory, certificates of data destruction and a photo-documented broom-clean handback.
Estimate what your old furniture is worth
Average market rate Prices subject to availability and project pricing.
Frequently asked questions
How much storage does each employee need?
It depends on the role, not the headcount. Mostly digital roles often need only a small pedestal for personal items, while roles that handle contracts, samples or physical files may need a full lateral file. Survey a few people in each department before you set a standard.
Should storage match the workstation brand?
It helps but is not required. Matching the same manufacturer usually makes mounting, finishes and heights line up cleanly. If you mix brands, confirm the storage height against the worksurface height and check that the finishes read as intentional.
Are pre-owned lateral files and pedestals a good buy?
Steel storage is one of the most durable categories in an office, so pre-owned pieces often hold up well. Check drawer slides, locks and keys, and the condition grade before you buy. Office Station sells pre-owned pieces as an independent reseller, so manufacturer warranties generally do not transfer.
Do old files and storage need special handling when we move out?
The furniture itself can usually be resold or recycled, but anything inside needs to be cleared first. If storage held records tied to computers or devices, plan for e-waste handling with certificates of data destruction as part of your decommissioning.
