Lots of jabs in this thread. Here's my view.
1. Being prepared does not imply paranoia.
2. A readily available gun on each level of the house seems a good idea.
3. It's not always practical to have a gun your person at all times.
4. Don't recommend ever leaving a gun in plain view and unlocked, even if you live alone as the BG might get to it first.
5. Seems to me the best compromise is to get one of those mini safes for each floor of the house, bolt it to the wall in a not-so-obvious place but readily accessible, and keep a loaded gun in each.
Admittedly, some of the arguments in this thread seem to me to be fairly close-minded. I personally am not going to fault someone for having multiple guns around the house, nor for anyone wishing to keep one on his/her person all the time. Having been the victim of multiple break-ins throughout my life, I can understand wanting to be armed and ready no matter how a person chooses to do so. It's really none of my business anyway, even though I might say something to a close friend if I thought it would be better if he (fill in the blank).
Everyone has their own way of doing things. I say do what makes you feel safe in your own home, keeping the safety of invited guests in mind, and don't worry about what anyone else thinks.