how do you handle storage w/ no foyer

[lcarlson90]

The shoe storage thread got me thinking that I really need to get my house more organized. My house does not have a foyer, it enters pretty much right into the formal living room. We have a closet but it's in the back of the house by the garage. We currently hang our sweatshirts/jackets on the end of the banister, pile our shoes at the bottom of the stairs and leave backpacks on the dining room table. DH has no problem with this (no surprise) but it's driving me crazy.

I like the look of the bench w/ the storage underneath and hanging shelf above but DH thinks it will look tacky having that in a formal living room (although he has no problem w/ the mess at the bottom of the stairs) :rolleye0014:. Does anyone have a similar situation, w/ no foyer. What have you done to organize all this stuff?

[boltfam]

We have no storage area really, either. We have a bench that opens up, which is where we store our hats and mittens. Our back door and front door are right by each other, though, and we don't walk into a formal living area, so it works for us.

[SnuggleBuggles]

We enter into the LRM here too and we arranged the furniture so it's like walking into a hall. it's like this:
built ins, window
d
o runner
o
r coats,bags, bench with shoes underneath
end table couch turned into the room

r o o m

The bench works well. I wouldn't get something tall. I almost considered one for the wall opposite the front door but we just want to be able to drop our stuff immediately, especially wet winter gear.

Beth