Is your kid always the last one waiting to be picked up at the birthday party? The Frantic Woman's Guide to Life, by Mary Jo Rulnick and Judith Burnett Schneider (Warner Books, $10, www.amazon.com), is a month-by-month compendium of tips, tricks, and checklists that will help you chip away at — and eventually sort out — your ever growing pile of things to do.

With cameos from guest experts on such subjects as taxes, gardening, and decorating, the no-nonsense manual offers practical advice on everything from how to organize the kitchen quickly (line the insides of cupboard doors with cork tile and tack up lists, coupons, and emergency contacts) to where to buy the most comprehensive travel insurance.