Of course, businesses that need a lot of capacity and care little for aesthetics will most likely prefer a standard four or five-drawer metal model. Filing cabinets come in vertical and lateral types.

Confession: When I was a teenager, I asked for a four-drawer black file cabinet for my birthday. There’s just something alluring about putting order to your paper, as if your life will follow.

Thankfully, the market for file storage has expanded beyond industrial metal cabinets to include upholstered, wooden, colorful or patterned containers. Many can hide in a living room or even ...