Looking for the best sheet music storage cabinets or bookshelves for your music studio? You’ve come to the right place!
Most musicians, including myself, use their piano bench or the sides of the piano to store sheet music and music books. However, if you have a lot of sheet music, this system is not quite ideal because piano benches and other random places are quickly outgrown as music storage.
A disorganized sheet music collection laying all around not only contributes to the clutter in the room but also makes it incredibly hard to find what you’re looking for. That’s why a dedicated piece of furniture for sheet music storage and organization is essential for convenience and order.
Sheet music cabinets were most popular during the 19th and early 20th centuries during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Those times saw an increase in leisure time due to technological advancements that led to more people taking piano lessons, hence the need for sheet music cabinets.
You can still find those antique sheet music cabinets in marketplaces like eBay if you want to get something more traditional. However, today there are also dozens of other types of cabinets and shelves that are perfect for sheet music storage and organization. This post will explore all your options.
Here are all the best sheet music storage cabinets and music shelves we’ve found that perfectly blend quality, practicality, and aesthetics!
Looking for more sheet music storage ideas? Check out our article on 10 creative and practical solutions to store your music collection!
Best Sheet Music Storage Cabinets
Winsome Halifax 7-Drawer Cabinet
If you are looking for a simple, sturdy, and inexpensive solution to your sheet music storage problem, this cabinet from Winsome is the perfect option. It’s a great substitute for IKEA’s Alex drawers for a much cheaper price.
The drawers are deep enough to store sheet music papers and books. Its four casters allow for easy mobility while the two lockable ones help to lock it in place. The vertical design also helps you save a lot of floor space.
Scranton & Co 4-Drawer Letter File Cabinet
With the ease of access and labeling they provide for your papers, file cabinets also make great sheet music storage cabinets. They come in different numbers of drawers for different needs, so you can prefer a 2-drawer or a 7-drawer one based on how much sheet music you want to store.
This cabinet from Scranton & Co is one of the best file cabinets for its heavy-duty and quality steel construction, sturdiness, and functionality. Its practical design allows for easy organization of sheet music papers and books. Add to that the attractive minimalistic look and reasonable price, and you have the perfect music storage solution.
The Music Stand Sheet Music Storage Floor Cabinet
If you want a cabinet that is designed specifically for sheet music storage, then you will love this one from The Music Stand. It is inspired by antique sheet music cabinets from the Victorian and Edwardian eras when sheet music cabinets were found in most homes. Honestly, this one is my all-time favorite music storage cabinet. It looks straight out of the 19th century and is everything you need to properly organize sheet music.
Coming in mahogany, ebony high gloss, and walnut finishes, it’s made of birch wood and offers excellent durability. My favorite feature of this cabinet is the sideless drawers that allow for easy retrieval and organization of sheet music. Best of all, it comes fully assembled.
Overall, if you are willing to invest a little more into an actual sheet music cabinet instead of some type of file cabinet, this one from The Music Stand is just a game-changer.
BIRDROCK HOME Rolling File Cabinet
Who could tell that this gorgeous box is actually a file cabinet? This file cabinet from Birdrock Home isn’t only perfect for organizing your sheet music clutter, but also for its attractiveness which makes it look like a beautiful piece of furniture. The fact that it’s handwoven from natural seagrass indicates its high quality and uniqueness. It also features 4 robust wheels that make it easy to move around.
Coming fully assembled, this rolling file cabinet makes a perfect sheet music organizer for those looking for a convenient, attractive, and practical music storage solution.
Sauder Carson Forge Lateral File Cabinet
If you have a taste for pieces with a more classic design, this Sauder Carson Forge Lateral File Cabine is worth checking out. While offering excellent storage capacity with a lot of room for hanging files and featuring adjusting hanging rails, it looks like anything other than a file cabinet and can beautifully match your furniture.
This cabinet has two models with different finishes, Coffee Oak and Washington Cherry, and I can’t even decide which one looks more attractive. If you want to keep your sheet music organized in an aesthetic yet affordable storage cabinet, definitely check this one out.
Iyrany Record Player Stand Cabinet
Why not use a record player cabinet for sheet music storage and add that nice touch to your music room? This Iyrany Record Player Stand features a lot of space for your sheet music books and folders. The bottom shelf is divided into four sections, which is perfect for sorting and organizing. The upper shelf can also be used to store music books, papers, folders, or other small stationery items. This cabinet is also super easy to assemble.
Available in black, brown, and white, it is made from MDF board which makes it extremely durable and stable. Plus, the hairpin metal legs look stunning and only add to its incredibly stylish look.
Sauder Costa Lateral File Cabinet
If you want to use a filing cabinet for sheet music but don’t want to sacrifice the style of your room, look no further than this cottage-inspired file cabinet from Sauder. This lateral file provides excellent organization for any type of sheet music document thanks to its two big drawers featuring letter-size hanging files.
Boasting a beautiful coffee oak finish and a durable 1″ thick top surface, the Sauder Cosfile cabinet is the perfect combination of functionality and aesthetics.
Creative Co-Op MDF & Fir Wood Cabinet
Another cabinet we adore is this wood cabinet from Creative Co-Op. It’s in a fun shade of blue with beautiful gold edging. There are not many vintage sheet music cabinets that feature such a special color, so definitely consider this one if you love antique-looking cabinets.
While drawers don’t feature the deepest space, they can still help organize a significant amount of clutter in your music room. I think it is one of those adorable pieces of furniture where you have to compromise on some degree of functionality, though not much for this one. It’s perfectly functional if you don’t have massive amounts of sheet music.
The good news is that it comes fully assembled.
The music Stand 12-Drawer Sheet Music Cabinet
Another gorgeous sheet music cabinet from The Music Stand, this one features 12 drawers, providing even better categorization and more room for storage. Since this cabinet is made specifically for sheet music like the previous one from The Music Stand, all its drawers are sideless to ease up retrieving and storing sheet music and songbooks.
Available in mahogany, walnut, and ebony high gloss finishes, this cabinet has a low-profile design that allows it to be placed under windows. Again, it is delivered fully assembled.
Best Sheet Music Shelves
Sauder Select Collection 5-Shelf Bookcase
Sturdy, quality, and beautiful, this bookcase by Sauder is the best sheet music shelf you can find at this price. It’s made in the USA by the Sauder company, which significantly adds to its quality and durability. Its 3 adjustable shelves allow for flexible storage options. It is also available in 6 colors and is incredibly easy to assemble.
I imagine this music shelf would look very elegant in a piano room. If you’re looking for an affordable yet quality bookcase for your music books and songbooks, definitely consider this one.
Safco Products Wood Adjustable Literature Organizer
If you need the perfect organization system for your sheet music, this literature organizer can help you achieve just that. All 36 shelves are removable, allowing you to organize the storage spaces the way you want. Unlike most paper organizers, this one isn’t made of cardboard but hardboard which makes it very sturdy and stable.
Overall, this shelf is super practical and useful if you have a lot of categories of sheet music to deal with.
VASAGLE Tree Bookshelf
With its tree branch-inspired design and vast storage capacity, this stylish wooden bookshelf provides functionality and aesthetics at a perfect level. I really don’t have much to say about this bookshelf. It’s very affordable while being high quality and sturdy, with each shelf holding up to 22 lb (10kg) of books.
It is also the perfect option if you are short on space but still want a free-standing shelf because it takes up very little floor space due to its vertical design. Available in rustic brown, walnut, and white finishes, this sheet music bookcase will elevate any space while making your music books look perfectly and aesthetically organized.
Furinno Luder Bookcase
This one is the bestseller in the bookcases category on Amazon for a reason. It’s budget-friendly, takes up little space, and provides perfect storage for books. It’s also available in 6 different colors and shelf numbers, so you can get one with more shelves if you need more storage and organization space. Despite its price, it’s pretty sturdy and stable overall.
The best thing is that it can be used both horizontally or vertically to fit your space in the best way. Thanks to its simple design and color options, it also blends well with other furniture you have.
Sauder Barrister Lane Bookcase
We love Sauder products mainly because they blend quality, functionality, and aesthetics so well. This Barrister Lane bookshelf is just another Sauder piece we adore. Its several compartments, cubbyholes, and ID labels make it incredibly easy to organize music books and other musical accessories. It’s also worth noting that this shelf is quite easy and quick to assemble.
Other than its functionality, I’m also obsessed with how elegant and nice it looks. All in all, this sheet music shelf is a perfect addition to your music room or studio.
Safco Products Vertical Desktop Sorter
If you are short on space and looking for a more affordable storage option for sheet music, definitely consider getting a desktop sorter. I normally use these desktop sorters for organizing my notebooks and papers from uni, but I recently started to use them for sheet music organization as well. I can tell you they work like a charm.
They have multiple compartments, which makes sorting sheet music much easier. Unlike a big cabinet, their small size also allows them to be moved around easily.
This desktop sorter from Safco Products is one of the best ones on the market. With durable thick compressed wood, it offers excellent sturdiness and stability. I also love its simple look with an oak finish but it’s also available in white.
2 comments
It is common for musicians, including pianists, to use their piano bench or the sides of the piano to store sheet music and music books. However, as you mentioned, this can quickly become an inadequate system if you have a large collection of sheet music. In such cases, it is a good idea to invest in a dedicated music stand or music storage rack, which will provide a more organized and accessible way to store your sheet music. These types of stands and racks are specifically designed to hold sheet music, and come in a variety of sizes and styles to suit your needs. By investing in a dedicated music stand or storage rack, you can keep your sheet music organized and easily accessible, which can save you time and frustration during your practice sessions.
Well summarized!