What's the first thing you do when you walk in the front door? If it's toss your coat over the nearest chair and toe off your shoes where you stand, it's time to invest in some entryway storage. No, you don't need a full-on foyer or mudroom or really any designated entrance area at all. All we're asking for is a blank wall. Yes, it's okay to keep your cold-weather gear out in the open. The key to making all your stuff look tidy (and potentially even stylish) is how you store it. Here are our favorite organization methods that also happen to look good:

An adjustable accordion rack

It's ideal for packing storage into entryway nooks that are especially narrow.

A shelf with hidden hooks

Tight hallways aren't a lost cause. Try screwing a few double-pronged hooks into the bottom of a slim shelf hung high on the wall. (This way, there aren't any hangers or sharp edges to bump into.)

Any sturdy box with a lid on it (which can also act as a bench)

Because hiding your scarves and gloves and ear muffs is just as effective as actually organizing them, right?

Big, bold knobs

Oversized knobs look more like art than utilitarian fixtures. Install a floating shelf underneath so you have a place to button that jacket and pull on those boots.

The wonderfully simple Shaker peg rail

Make it as long as your heart desires (maybe it spans an entire hallway!) or double up so coats hang on one rail, backpacks on another. So. Many. Options.

Baskets, baskets, and more baskets

No one actually has time to line up their shoes in neat pairs everyday. Toss 'em all in a pretty basket, tuck it in a corner or under a bench, and call it a day.

A DIY coat rack worth leaving out

Hang a metal or wood bar from the ceiling and suddenly your coat storage will be the talk of the party. ("Where did you get that?!")

Or you can always rethink that closet next to the front door

It could be doing so much more than storing extra paper towels. Take off the door to create a designated place to pause in that hallway you wish was really a fancy entryway.