Choosing a storage cabinet: more order in every room

A pile of papers on the table, clothes on a chair and a corner in the kitchen where everything ends up that fits nowhere else. Sound familiar? Often you do not have too many things, but too few fixed places. A good storage cabinet solves that. The only question is which one. A cabinet for the living room calls for something different than a cabinet for files or for the storage room. In this guide you will read step by step how to choose the storage cabinet that suits you.

Which storage cabinet suits you?

Start with what you want to store and where. This table will get you started.

You want to store	Choose	For example
Crockery, books and decoration in the living room or kitchen	Cabinet with open compartments and doors	Lisselot (60 × 35 × 125 cm)
Small items in a narrow gap	Narrow chest of drawers on castors	Jinte (45 × 17 × 84 cm)
Files and papers	Lockable filing cabinet	Arthur in white or black (39 × 45 × 55 cm)
Clothes, temporarily or as an extra wardrobe	Foldable canvas wardrobe	Klythara (150 × 45 × 175 cm)
Tools and supplies in the cellar or shed	Metal shelving unit	Selena (75 × 30 × 150 cm)
An open spot in the hallway or living room	Sideboard with open racks	Wispira (101.5 × 35 × 80 cm)

Step 1: measure your space, including the depth

Measure the width, depth and height of the spot where the cabinet will go. Also think about skirting boards, windowsills and sockets. If the cabinet has doors or drawers, keep space free to open them and to stand in front of it yourself.

The depth in particular is often forgotten. A narrow gap next to the fridge or washing machine seems unusable, but the Jinte is only 17 cm deep and slides right into it. If you have an empty wall of over a metre, the Wispira, at 101.5 cm wide, offers lots of space without the cabinet sticking far into the room: it is 35 cm deep.

Step 2: choose between open, closed or a mix

Open compartments show what you find beautiful, doors and drawers keep clutter out of sight. For most people a combination works best.

Open and closed in one: the Lisselot has 2 open compartments and 2 shelves behind doors. At the top you put your nicest cups or books, behind the doors the rest disappears.
Open at the top, closed at the bottom: the Theresa sideboard has 3 open shelves for books, plants and photo frames and extra storage space in the lower section.
Glass and a cabinet: the Vivienne sideboard (70 × 35 × 80 cm) combines a glass top, an open shelf and a cabinet with a height-adjustable shelf, for plates, for example.
Completely open: the Wispira has mesh racks under the top for books, plants, shoes or bags.

Step 3: drawers for small items and papers

Small items quickly get lost on a shelf. Drawers keep them together and give you an overview.

Chest of drawers for the kitchen, bedroom or bathroom

The Jinte has 4 deep PP drawers with a combined storage volume of more than 28 litres. Because it stands on castors, you roll it forward when you are looking for something and then slide it back into the gap.

Filing cabinet for your home office

If you work from home, you want to store your papers in an organised way and out of sight. The Arthur filing cabinet fits under your desk and can be locked. The white version is made of steel, stands on 5 swivel castors, 2 of which have a brake, and each drawer holds up to 15 kg. The black version is made of MDF and has 3 drawers, the bottom one of which is fully removable. Setting up a complete workspace? Then also read Choosing a desk for your home workspace.

Step 4: pay attention to material and stability

Steel and wood: the Lisselot has 15 mm thick shelves on a steel frame. The Theresa and the Wispira combine iron and wood and have shelves that hold up to 20 kg (for the Theresa this applies to the top shelves).
Canvas: the Klythara protects your clothes against dust and dirt, is light and folds away when you do not need it.
Powder-coated metal: the Selena is made for the cellar, storage room or workshop and can be converted into two workbenches as needed.
Standing stable: the Vivienne has adjustable feet and an anti-tip kit is included. Always secure tall cabinets to the wall, especially if there are children in the house.

Step 5: choose a style that brings calm

Most MAZAZU storage cabinets combine a black frame with a wood tone, in a rugged industrial style. If you choose several cabinets in one room, stick to the same frame colour. Then the whole looks calm, even if the cabinets differ in shape. White, as on the Jinte and the white Arthur, stands out less and suits a light kitchen or study well.

Tips for a tidy home

One place per type: give each category of things a fixed cabinet or drawer. Then everyone in the house knows where something belongs.
Baskets in open compartments: small items in a basket or box keep open compartments calm.
Heavy at the bottom: put heavy items on the bottom shelves and light decoration at the top.
Mainly books? Then read Choosing a bookcase or wall shelf.
Clutter in the hallway? In Shoe rack or shoe bench you can read how to give your shoes a fixed place.
Cabinet for the bathroom? Take a look at our bathroom cabinets.

Read also

View all cabinets. Ordered on a working day before 15:00, shipped today, shipping is free and you get free 30-day returns.