What is under the stairway wall? Is there space there that can be utilized? And what is behind the adjacent wall on the right? Can the closet be expanded in any direction?

Please show photos of the entrance door area and the area to the right of the current photo. A hallway 2.5 feet wide is not wide enough to store a pair of shoes or a backpack, so looking at adjacent space would be useful.

It’s a very large wall where the couch to living room sits on other side of it. I believe it it load bearing so can’t take it out. There is nothing on the stairway wall..it leads to finished basement

I this the only entry for family? I do not see how under the stairs storage would be a good plan since then it will block the hallway totally.There must be a back door so what is that not utilized I gues I need more info . Post here in comments along with answers to the other questions or comments . DO NOT start another post

My DSIL had a similar house with no coat closet at all. They hung their coats and stuff in the basement stairs. As in, open the basement door and hang your coats on the hooks. For shoes, they had a tray just inside the front door. (I never did understand how the developer could build a house in Ontario Canada without a coat closet and no door from the attached garage into the house.)

Your house might not have a back door that is viable as a family entry, like DSIL’s back door that was just a patio slider in the fenced back yard, so not a good candidate.

I have lived in myriad old homes with front door only entrance, super narrow hallway, and no closet at all. I'm a fan of everything in its place and not tossed around. (At least in my mind.) Various options:

Maximize hooks on the inside of basement door and closet door for purses, bags, backpacks, or frequently used coats.

Hooks on stairway wall to basement near the top step. Yep they crowd out the stairwell and yep you have to lean in to get them. Not ideal for kids but it works for adults.

Maximize the hell out of your tiny closet. Can you show us a pic of the inside of it? In a ridiculously shallow small dining room closet I hung 2 telescoping rods that faced the door (instead of a sideways rod). I fit tons of coats side by side in there and they were very easy to access.

Pretty dresser in the living room near front door - buffet could work. Put in the drawers shoes, bags, books, top drawer was for keys, dog leash, and other collected junk.

Be sure to switch out coats seasonally and store off season elsewhere. Same with any other infrequently used items.

This looks like my hallway! Can we see inside the closet? I just redid my closet TWICE first time was still not cutting it for us. We pretty much cleared all shelving and added hooks around the walls inside and then added a shoe holder (tried two, then found a winner) to the inside and so far so good

I'd also suggest under the stairs, if it is empty space. If you put in bins and shelves, you can really maximize the useful space. That said, schoolbags can go in the kids' rooms. They should be bringing home homework in their bags.

The hallway closet has shelves is it about 7 1/2 inches in width. It used to hold pantry items before we redid kitchen so that is not needed anymore. It’s extremely tiny

I cannot utilize space down basement steps because it was recently finished for additional
Living space

I have a narrow closet and put hooks on back wall and door for hanging coats. agree hallway really too narrow for storage. backpacks in bedrooms. most people i know end up with hooks and shoe bench in livingroom. i bought a nice wood shoe bench on etsy and it really helps hide the shoes nicely!

Where do you currently keep coats? Do you want to turn the closet into a coat closet?

I don't understand your comment - what is 7 1/2 inches in width? Could you enlarge the closet to use the space I marked in pink?

All hooks inside your closet on two levels. Maybe you can only get one on each side wall and three across the back given your size. You can be lazy and do it all with command hooks.

Elfa inside door rack - you can add baskets for smaller bags, bins for hat and gloves, hooks. I have three of these inside various doors in my apartment. The screw into the wood at the top and bottom of the interior side of the door and are not visible at all from the outside. Total game changer.