I had mine in the living room for years, then moved it to a hall way that has a corner that is not really a corner, it's the same width as the secretary and it fits perfectly. There is more walking room than it looks like in the photo.

My grandmother had just the bottom part. She kept it in her bedroom. She used the desk part as a desk, and the drawers before for storage. Some storage of desk/office type stuff--paper, files, etc. And because it was in her bedroom, the bottom drawer held extra sheets and other linens.

I have a Victorian combo bookcase/secretary much like this one, but with more shelves on top:

It's close to the front door right now.

In the desk area we have envelopes, stamps and checkbooks, etc ... basic correspondence.
The bookcase is a display area for various dolls and Indian pottery.
The drawers hold various computer accessories because it's close to the SO's workstation.

The shelves usually have cats.

I only use mine for storage. I thought it was an interesting piece to have in my home.

My mom had hers at the bottom of the steps to the second floor and at the entrance to her kitchen in a hallway. It made a great place to set down your keys when entering the house. Hers had a top to it and she put collectibles in there. In the years since it was moved into a corner of her living room where she could open it up to use it for letter writing. My sister now has it proudly displayed in her living room. A wonderful, usual piece of furniture. In the drawers were the phone books, catalogs etc.
Mary

Mine is placed between 2 windows on an end wall of my living room. I use the upper part with the shelves and doors with glass to display my collection of seashells. The desk area isn't used for anything. The drawers are used for storage, maps and atlases mostly I haven't even opened them for a long time, so I can't say for sure what is there.
Barbara

My mom had one sort of like the one pictured.

She kept dishes behind the glass.

And in the desk area (and on top of that), she put office supplies and pieces of mail.

I actually have two. One is just the bottom half, like the first pix. It is currently in the front BR, which we use as a sitting room. It holds stationary, cards, etc. I have way too many; after email started, I don't send letters very often. Wanted get rid of it, but my husband likes the look. The other is oak, like the second one, but not as fancy. That is on the second floor. The bottom has glass doors and fabric stacked on the shelves. There are miscellaneous things in the hidden cubbies and drawer.