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If all I need is 5-10 seconds to reach my shotgun (or pistol), perhaps carrying pepper spray is sufficient. Perhaps not.
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As was already mentioned, pepper spray indoors can be problematic. It can spray back and effect you just as much as your attacker. If you definitely want to use pepper spray in your home, look for the foam or gel type instead of the spray or fog type, though when sprayed indoors you will probably feel the effects and it won't be limited to your attacker.
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What makes me queezy are 3 things: #1 is safety. I'm a new gun owner and not trained to carry, and I take safety very seriously. #2, I sometimes drink at home and guns and booze don't mix. #3, I live in CA and cannot carry in public. I don't want to accidently leave the home carrying and get arrested.
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For #1, get training as soon as possible. Just having a gun, you should have at minimum some basic safety training. Then, if you want to use it for home defense (whether on your person or locked up) you'll also want some personal defense training. With that, you should be pretty safe carrying at home.
For #2, even with training and experience, you need to put your guns away when drinking. At best, even in a home invasion self defense situation you will be in a gray area (you shouldn't be shooting unless your life is in danger, so better judged by 12 than carried by 6 and all, but if you have been drinking you shouldn't handle a gun since your judgement is impaired).
For #3, I understand your concern. I live in MD where it is nearly impossible to get a permit, and it is a very anti-gun environment. I don't really see walking out with it (though I used to worry about it) since you should be aware of the gun at all times. There are a few things you can do to be less likely to accidentally walk out with the gun. Carry IWB (not the more comfortable OWB) and carry a larger gun so you won't forget it is there. Pocket carry and get in the habit of always checking your pockets before you go. If you have a place for your keys at home and take them out of your pocket when you get home, maybe put the gun in that pocket so when you put your keys in your pocket as you leave you'll definitely notice the gun. Put a single gun sized gun safe on a table or mounted to the wall by your door (I've seen one online where the person painted it the color of the wall so it was a little more discrete, I'd probably want to put a table by the door and mount it under the tabletop). It can be a visual reminder to check for a gun and more easily become part of your daily routine (come in, get gun out, leave, put gun away). Finally, if you get in the habit of carrying around the home whenever you are sober, you should also develop the habit to check for the gun before you walk out the door and remove it if you didn't already remember to.