Filing cabinets are the furniture equivalent of change found in a couch cushion. Nobody thinks about them until it’s time to move — and then suddenly there are 40 of them to deal with and no plan.
Here’s what most companies don’t know: quality lateral and vertical filing cabinets hold resale value well, and there’s a consistent buyer market for them. The trick is knowing which ones are worth selling and which are worth simply recycling.
The Difference Between Sellable and Scrap
Not all filing cabinets are created equal. The ones worth selling share a few key traits:
- Metal construction (not the particle-board and vinyl office supply store variety)
- Locking mechanisms that still work — keys or keypad
- Full-extension drawers in good working order
- Lateral filing configuration (24″ or 30″ wide) — these are the most in-demand
- Neutral colors — black, putty, and gray sell; brown and wood laminate are harder
- Brand names like Steelcase, HON, Haworth, Global, and Teknion
Lateral vs. Vertical — Which Is Worth More?
Lateral filing cabinets — the wide, low units typically found along office walls — are consistently in higher demand than standard vertical cabinets. They’re more versatile, fit under windows, and double as workspace surfaces. A four-drawer lateral from a commercial manufacturer in good condition is a genuinely useful piece that businesses actively look to buy.
Vertical filing cabinets (the tall, narrow ones) are more common and therefore less valuable, but they still move — particularly in sets.
Mobile Pedestals and Under-Desk Storage
Mobile pedestals — the rolling under-desk storage units that pair with workstations — are often sold as part of a cubicle set, but they also have independent value. If your decommission includes a floor of cubicles, the pedestals almost certainly have buyers.
Going Paperless? This Is the Moment
A growing number of our clients are decommissioning their storage because they’ve finally made the switch to digital document management. The filing cabinets are often the last thing to go — and the process of clearing them can coincide neatly with a broader office exit. We can help time the furniture removal around your document shredding and records management process.
Ready to clear filing and storage from your New York office? Phoenix Furniture Group buys commercial-grade filing cabinets and storage units — contact us for a fast, free assessment.