I would pick the project that I could comfortably finish in that time frame.

Oh my gosh, are you a person who has only one project going at a time?! I can't imagine only one -- what heaven!

Good luck with whatever you start. Maybe look through the Gallery for an inspiration room and let that decide it for you?

I would tackle the guest bath, removing the wallpaper is messy and takes time, this would keep you busy enough and be satisfying to have accomplished this task as a surprise for him, start to finish.

Since he's gone for 2 weeks, you could plan days off for yourself when you could be shopping for ideas for storage.

I tackle messy projects when DH is away, I start very early in the day since I'm alone and don't have to worry about waking up anyone, I put on music and do it at my own pace.

There is the classic -- but difficult -- solution.

First -- Go through the books and decide on the keepers. And this idea applies both to back bedroom books AND the library. Hard to do -- but sometimes very, very necessary!

Next -- with the remainder books -- you may need to simply buy more bookshelves. Inexpensive ones can be found in places like Ikea, Target, Walmart etc. Place bookshelves in both guest rooms! Even one or two in each room might help the situation! You may need help to put these shelves together!

If you are truly out of storage space in the house -- then check out your garage and consider getting those heavy-duty steel shelving. Then add plastic bins (very WELL labelled and dated!!!) to hold extra items.

DH and I always joke that "organizing season" follows right behind "holiday season." And the stores seem to agree, what with all the ads for tubs, shelves, closet systems, etc.

We're tackling an organization project this weekend. We're musicians and keep accumulating instruments. We were keeping them on a rolling rack (one of those $100 metal rolling ones from Sam's) in the "horn room/workout room." But things were starting to pile up on the floor, lean on walls, etc.

Meanwhile, in a closet in the office, there were two small file cabinets, stacked, SIDEWAYS so the door would still close, and we (well, DH) were still accumulating stacks of papers and assorted flotsam and jetsam all over the room. Bright idea: get a larger shelf (huge 77" x 24" x 72") for the horns, and move the other shelf into the office closet. This meant we lost the file cabinets, but they weren't a good use of space, anyway. In the yard sale pile they go.

Result? ALL of the instruments (except a cello and a few cymbals) are now off the floor and on the shelf, even a 5-piece drum kit! Going vertical allows for more floor space for practice area and DH's workout area. And now the 48" x 18" x 72" 6-shelf unit is in the office closet and I am filling and labeling banker's boxes today. There is a TON of expansion room for future files this way. Oh, and DH's little "piles" of computer cables, etc., can simply be boxed and labeled and tucked away for when needed (probably never).

So, I know this isn't your precise dilemma, but it shows that you can actually just rethink the furniture storage you have, because it might not be working for you.

I agree with going through the books to possible give away/trade/donate, and looking for other places to pop a bookshelf --- a guest room? A hallway? A stair landing?

Here is the wire shelf in the closet:

CL is always selling old trunks. They have a lot of storage space and lend a cool look to a space, IMO.

Can you make one of the bedrooms into another library instead of a 2nd guest room? Maybe line a wall or two with more bookcases (if you have to keep the bed).

I keep treasures in a hope chest and in pretty boxes on shelves, or, depending on the item, on display. Books that are well loved belong in a bookcase.

Personally I would tackle the storage issue while dh is gone. This is the issue that seems to bother you the most and cause the most stress.

I put some nice bookshelves in our upstairs hallway along one wall with a small desk and its great to store lots of books and papers and photos etc.

Do the bathroom. It will be easier than you expect and will look so great that you'll be motivated to tackle another project and make the hard decisions about storage.