Keep Your Printer Hidden But Easily Accessible With Simple Cabinet Tweaks
A bulky, messy printer situated in plain view can make any office look unprofessional and cluttered. However, stashing your printer away in a cabinet can make it frustratingly hard to access when you need to print something urgently. Is there a way to keep your printer out of sight for a clean look, while still having it within arm's reach? Fortunately, with some simple cabinet modifications and organization tricks, you can easily conceal your printer without compromising accessibility.
Read on to discover clever printer cabinet solutions for keeping your office tidy and printer headaches at bay.
Why Hide Your Printer?
Here are some excellent reasons to stash your printer inside a cabinet:
- Create a clean, minimalist office aesthetic for impressing clients
- Free up valuable desk and floor space
- Reduce visible clutter for a more peaceful workspace
- Keep printer noise and lights out of view
- Protect sensitive documents from prying eyes
Choosing The Right Printer Hiding Cabinet
Size and Dimensions
First, make sure to select a cabinet that's large enough to house your printer with some room to spare. Measure the width, depth, height and weight of your printer and choose a piece that exceeds these dimensions. Allow at least 4-6 inches of extra clearance on all sides for air circulation, wires and future upgrades or replacement printers. Sturdy wood or steel cabinets with adjustable shelves and a weighting capacity over 150 pounds are ideal.
Ventilation
Proper airflow is crucial since printers release heat. Opt for well-ventilated cabinets made of mesh wire, slots or grill pattern doors. Install built-in cabinet fans or simply keep doors ajar during extended printing sessions. Also ensure the cabinet location itself won't obstruction ventilation.
Storage Space
Look for cabinets featuring shelves, stacked drawers and vertical dividers to neatly organize printer paper, manuals, cables, office supplies alongside your device. A removable printer stand prevents surface damage while storage boxes keep everything accessible yet out of sight.
Printer Mat | Protects printer surface |
Drawers & Shelves | Store paper, files, supplies |
Boxes & Cable Concealers | Hide mess of wires, chargers |
Aesthetic Appeal
Fortunately, printer cabinets now available catering to varied office designs and color schemes. Choose a style aligning with your room's decor - whether a more traditional wooden cabinet topped with desk items, contemporary glossy white units or vibrant patterned ones for creative spaces.
Organizing The Printer Cabinet
Sort Cables and Accessories
Before transferring your printer setup into the cabinet, take a moment to untangle cables and discard unnecessary clutter stashed around it. Organize essential wires with reusable fastening ties or adhesive clips onto the cabinet walls. Simple cable routing helps minimize jumbled wires falling loose or getting disconnected later.
Maximize Cabinet Storage Space
Assess how to best utilize the cabinet area to neatly arrange your printer plus supplies. Place frequently needed paper reams or printouts within easy reach on slide-out trays, while manuals and specialized cartridges can be stacked further away. Modular drawers also maximize vertical storage capacity. Label the contents to stay organized.
Installing The Printer Properly
Secure Positioning
Ensure your printer location within the cabinet is horizontal, stable and level to prevent rocking, tipping or collapse hazards. Place non-slip padding underneath or secure it with locking floor mounts for extra stability. Avoid exposing printers to direct sunlight, heating vents or dampness within cabinets.
Connect Cables Correctly
When setting up the printer inside enclosed spaces, take extra care to insert cables fully and correctly without loosening port connections. Avoid bending cables sharply or accidentally disconnecting vital power cords in cramped cabinet corners. A portable LED light comes handy illuminating those hard-to-see spots.
Before you seal off access, always test your printer is still functioning by printing a test page. Also check wireless printer connectivity if applicable.
Accessing The Hidden Printer
Open Cabinets with Ease
The entire point of a printer cabinet is keeping your device out of sight - but that shouldn't make it difficult to access either. Ensure cabinets feature smooth sliding doors, easy pull handles and magnetic closures instead of latches prone to slamming closed.
Retrieve Printouts Conveniently
Rather than fumbling behind cabinet doors whenever you need to collect printouts, specialized printer cabinets have a hatch or relate that flips open for quick access. Mobile cabinets with smooth rollers also glide open to reveal your printer.
Refill Paper Supplies Seamlessly
Refilling paper trays can quickly get annoying if you need to keep opening cabinet doors every time. Opt for vertical paper storage built into the printer stand itself clearly labeled for restocking needs - no need to remove the entire printer.
Implementing these extra pointer will make your hidden printer even more convenient to use on a daily basis:
- Wireless printers eliminates cable hassles
- Schedule cleaning sessions to prevent printer dust buildup
- Accommodate multiple printers with full-width triple cabinets
- Custom builds available to perfectly integrate the printer
It can be hassle-free to hide your printer with some planning and organization. Invest time into choosing and setting up the optimal printer cabinet for your needs, and you'll be able reap the rewards of a clean, professional workspace despite housing a bulky device.