Lots of apartment front doors open with one wall right next to them and another wall at a right angle a few feet away. You end up with a corner and nothing else. Most entryway advice assumes a long flat wall, so it doesn’t help.

The good news is that corners are efficient. You get two walls’ worth of hanging space and you don’t block a walkway.

Measure first

Stand in the doorway and open the door fully. Note where it stops. Anything you put in the corner has to clear the door’s swing, and if it’s behind the door, you’ll lose access to it every time someone comes in.

Then measure each wall from the corner to the first obstacle: a light switch, a closet, a radiator. Those two numbers decide which of the ideas below will fit.

A corner hall tree

If you only have about 20 inches on each side, a corner hall tree (on Amazon) is the most compact option. It’s designed to sit right in the angle, with hooks on top and usually a small shelf or seat below. Nothing to drill.

Hooks on both walls

With a bit more room, split the jobs between the two walls. Coats on one, bags and keys on the other. A row of hooks at about 66 inches for adults and another lower for kids or dog leashes. Corners hide a lot of coats, so they don’t look as heavy as a single crowded row.

A bench across the corner

A narrow shoe bench (on Amazon) set along one wall, tight into the corner, gives you a place to sit and somewhere for shoes. Add a cushion or a couple of pillows. If the bench is against the wall the door opens toward, check it clears the handle.

Shelves where the walls meet

Floating shelves (on Amazon) on the wall above the bench handle the small things: keys in a dish, sunglasses, the mail. Keep them above head height when you’re sitting, about 40 to 48 inches above the bench seat.

A mirror on the other wall

A round mirror (on Amazon) on the wall opposite the bench means it’s what you face when you stand up to leave. It also bounces light into a corner that’s usually the darkest spot in the apartment.

A rug to mark the spot

A small rug or a coir mat (on Amazon) inside the door, angled into the corner rather than square to the door, makes the corner read as a room of its own. It also tells guests where to stop and take off their shoes.

Hide the rest

A lidded basket (on Amazon) under the bench or on the floor beside it for gloves, hats and reusable bags. With a corner entry, everything is in view from the living room, so closed storage matters more than usual.