Rapaire, I've been in this house for a year and a half, and though there have been times when I've shoved all of the boxes and tools out of sight, this ain't one of 'em. I'm not sure where I'll put the tree this year. On the other hand, I made sure the kitchen was in very good shape, the dining area (an extension of the kitchen, not a separate room) is easy to use, one bathroom is completely functional, the bedrooms are comfortable (though there are boxes of stuff stacked in all of them) and we have one 12x14 room at the front of the house with comfy chairs and a couch and all of the videos and DVDs and a nice televison and the usual video equpiment. So we can all play games in there or watch movies and feel like it's a "normal" house. As long as you have zones like that, then I don't worry about what the rest of it looks like while it is a work in progress.

I do try to put nightlights in areas of current construction so no one wanders in and hurts themselves in the dark.

I'm with Amos, I'd start reading your books and start a stack off to the side of books I want to look at more closely before putting them on a shelf. You'd end up with books all over the place. But then, my house is like that also. It is my theory that once I have enough shelves for all of the books that everything else will take care of itself. Well, okay, I also need shelving for craft and sewing stuff.

SRS