Where to store everyday bags/backpacks etc.?

[katiecat]

We have a small entry way with a standard closet and a dresser. The closet has all our jackets and shoes/boots on the bottom and the dresser holds hats/mitts/scarves in winter as well as sunglasses sunscreen and other things like baseball gloves and bike helmets. We sort of each have a drawer. This all works well but there is NO room for our everyday bags and backpacks. My purse pretty much stays on the bottom step of our stairs to upstairs and I recently started putting my everyday bag for work and ds's backpack for school into our own rooms in our closets. But dh is not so tidy and tends to use 3 or 4 different bags a week for work and in addition now he is teaching yoga classes as well as going to the gym regularly. I have no idea where to store all these bags filled with various clothing for yoga/gym as well as mats and props for yoga classes and his work stuff. Some are quite large to hang on hooks. Any ideas? Where do you store your bags/backpacks/purses that you use on a regular basis?

[philomom]

I have a set of shelves at the top of the garage stairs, the spot just before you open the door to the small foyer. The inside of these holds the extra shoes, the top holds the bags and backpacks. I also have a set of heavy duty hooks in this spot for hanging extras.

[Ragana]

We have a very small entryway in the back that includes our pantry, so we put a low bench in with baskets on top for my DDs' and my daily bags/purses. Each one of us has our own basket. DH keeps his in the dining room.

[clutterwarrior]

I have no particular issue with ones used regularly, as the kids take theirs to their rooms. DH works from home so he doesn't have case. I just plonk my handbag wherever.

I do have a problem with an assortment of backpacks that we only use for weekend outings/camps/travel....they are at the moment piled in the hallway near the front door, not visible from the door but if people come in they can see the mess and I really need to do something about it! 

Definitely will be my project for August.

[ollyoxenfree]

Could you add a shelf to the coat closet? 

We just don't have enough room at our entry ways for bags. The kids tend to dump their school bags there when they come in and I'm always on about moving them out of the way. DH puts his computer bag in the office when he comes home. I put my purse or bags in the bedroom. 

I recently bought a terrific Rolser shopping cart. It makes it easier to get to the grocery shop without the car and it's great for walking around the farmer's markets. I love it but it's taking up too much room at the entry way, so I'm having a similar problem.  

[boheime]

a row of pegs or hooks to hang them on? door hooks to hang them on the back of the door?

[Siennaflower]

I have a wicker trunk that I got at Pier 1 Imports (I think) that sits just inside the door way.  It holds a diaper bag and dd1's backpack as well as our shoes.  Not sure how well that would work for multiple or large bags though.

[erigeron]

Can you not stick bags on top of the dresser? Is something already there?

We just got a large wire rack to keep by the front door, and we are keeping the diaper bag and hubby's backpack on that rack. That is part of the reason I wanted to get it. It's not perfect because we come in the back door about 95% of the time, but his backpack is going to relentlessly be by the front door because that is nearer to his desk, so I went with the flow.

[ZakareyasMama]

I'm looking for a solution to this too... DH's soccer bag, my purses and tote bags... My first step is to pare it down (I like variety!! ) We have a small entry closet so I'm trying to come up with a cheap/efficient/beautiful solution. 

[Drummer's Wife]

Do you have room for a cube shelf like this one?  (Amazon or Target, $49) They sell cloth drawers that fit and look nice in the shelves w/o backing.

We have a couple of these (now used for other things), but they work well during the school year to hold 4 kids worth of backpacks and shoes.  I prefer to have everything out of sight, completely, so I will throw everything in our entry way closet - but if they have to be out in the open, it's nice to have them organized rather than in a pile by the door. 

[purplerose]

I have a shoe rack on the inside of our entryway door(our entryway sounds like yours, with the bottom of the stairs there except we have no dresser) AND a stand-up small shoe rack for the shoes that are worn daily. So there are no shoes on the floor of the closet. I keep a box in the closet of gloves/hats but we're in South Carolina so don't have that many winter things LOL No one here would even keep sunglasses in one certain spot. We do have a 5' bookshelf in the entryway and keep our keys on top of it.

[katiecat]

Thanks everyone. Great ideas!

[tjlsmom]

Thanks for the ideas!!