Saddlebags, used by the Turks almost like shopping bags, are a staple of village life.  While rarely used anymore by city dwellers, it is common to see saddlebags outside village homes, lying by the door, or tossed over the woodpile.  They can be thrown over a pack animal, a bicycle or a motorcycle, but it is just as common to see people carrying a saddlebag over one shoulder as they return from shopping, with all sorts of goodies popping out the top.
 

Their uses in your home are limited only by your imagination.  Throw it over a narrow table, to house magazines and newspapers.  Drape it over the back of a rocker, chair, or ottoman.  Or hang it on the wall to add a splash of color and interest.  Or, start a collection, and fill that awkward stairwell space with something beautiful and highly collectible!