one-armed paper hanger

 

The phrase "one-armed paper hanger" is an idiom that typically refers to someone who is extremely busy or overwhelmed with tasks. It evokes the image of a person with only one arm attempting to hang wallpaper, which is a challenging task even for someone with both arms. This imagery is used to highlight the difficulty and hectic nature of the situation the person is in.

e.g.

[2:30 PM] John Calvin

Many thanks.  I know that you must be busier than a one-armed paper hanger with an itch with everyone away.