packed to the rafters

packed to the rafters

Completely full; teeming; having no room to spare. I've got so many meetings and deadlines these days that my schedule is packed to the rafters! Her mind was packed to the rafters with ideas for her new book. I felt packed to the rafters after my grandmother's Thanksgiving meal.
See also: packed, rafter
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • rafter
  • packed to the gills
  • filled to the brim
  • loaded to the gills
  • stuffed to the gills
  • full to the brim
  • full to the gills
  • be stuffed to the gills
  • and (something) to spare
  • and to spare
References in periodicals archive
The Meydan Racecourse was packed to the rafters with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, in attendance.
Appleby treble as Godolphin rack up four wins
The Canadian showman clearly has plenty of North East fans, as the arena was packed to the rafters for the concert, which began with a suave and sophisticated take on jazz standard Fever.
Crooner charms audience with ease
Allesley Scout HQ was packed to the rafters with residents who wanted to tell council officers and councillors exactly how they felt about plans to build thousands of homes on green belt land across the city.
Residents in'hands off our green belt'appeal
He was an enormously popular character in the city and Liverpool cathedral was packed to the rafters for his funeral.
TIME FOR A DUST UP: [...]
No one can seriously believe that stores packed to the rafters with drugs paraphernalia are also stockists for plant food and air fresheners.
End drug farce
The Church Bank clubhouse was packed to the rafters after Saturday's five-tries-to-one victory over Neath to crown a momentous few days for the club.
LLANDOVERY 33 NEATH 7 LLANDOVERY [...]; Welsh Premiership
Spread over an area the size of six football pitches in Britain's brewing capital, Burtonon-Trent, in Staffordshire, the site is packed to the rafters with 27,000 pallets of beer awaiting shipment to supermarkets and off-licences.
Booze mountain to go
Family drama 'Packed To The Rafters' was second with 1.371 million viewers followed by Seven News (1.329 million) and Nine News (1.254 million), News.com.au reported.
Lara Bingle's reality show crashes in TV ratings war
"The hall was packed to the rafters with a whole day of competing," she said.
Fun and the flair; ARRAY OF TALENT AT ERYRI YFC EISTEDDFOD
Elland Road will be packed to the rafters with a noisy crowd willing on the Championship club as they aim to repeat their 2009-10 cup heroics against arch-rivals and Premier League champions Manchester United.
TURNING BACK THE SHOCK CLOCK; Leeds 6-1 to repeat cup win
Packed to the rafters with screaming teens and Santa hats, the fun-loving lads took centre stage at the first of their three Newcastle gigs - in front of a sell-out crowd.
JLS put on a spectacular show for all
"We are still seeing a clear preference for Australian-produced programming such as 'Australia's Got Talent,' 'Packed to the Rafters' and 'My Kitchen Rules,'" Ross adds.
Australia
were packed to the rafters, rabidly xpectant audiences lined up around the and the band blewcrowdsaway with revved up, sun-strafed vein of anthemic, eccentric pop.
PREVIEW Surfer Blood at Clwb Ifor Bach
Parkhead will be packed to the rafters on Sunday January 3 when the Old Firm enter battle for just the second time this season.
WIN tickets to see the Old Firm crunch
As for Tristan in 2012, we will be packed to the rafters.
Empty seats tell worrying story; VIEWPOINT