But watch out…it’s so much fun you won’t be able to resist hours!

Anyone who spends any time online knows the frustration of finding something wonderful—a recipe you want to try, a book you want to read, a promising present for your child’s birthday, even an inspirational quote—and then never being able to find it again.

Pinterest is the latest attempt to bring personal order to the chaotic world of the Internet. Even though the site requires an invitation, it has rocketed into the top ten social media websites in only a few months. Just visiting the Pinterest homepage is a voyeuristic glimpse into the places, ideas, and things that excite other people.

Like most good ideas, this one is deceptively simple. Once you have a Pinterest account, you create themed bulletin boards. The topics can be basic, such as recipes, craft projects, clothes, dream vacations, or idiosyncratic, such as fabric swatches, smoothies or clever ideas. When you come across a photo of something that fits into your categories, you use a button to “pin” it to the bulletin board, creating a link that will lead you, and others, back to the original sources.

The result is a lush, visual collection of things that caught your attention for some reason. Some people use Pinterest like a refrigerator door—a mishmash of reminders as well as images that bring a smile. Others carefully curate their Pinterest collections, treating the boards as life rafts to keep them from drowning in information. Still others use the juxtaposition of images for inspiration the way people in creative fields use vision or mood boards. Need a dessert for the potluck, a rainy day craft for the kids, a gift for a friend?  There’s a Pinterest board for that.

The organizing possibilities are satisfying and endless, but the Pinterest founders also created a social dimension because they believe people can learn a lot about each other by observing what others collect. A profile on Pinterest consists of a list of bulletin boards with nine images from each collection. You can decide to follow other people, including some designated Tastemakers and, of course, others can follow you.  As people comment on and re-pin items they like, they form mini-communities based on shared enthusiasms, tastes, and passions.  Some people find this kind of interest-based sharing preferable to other forms of social networking.

Although Pinterest is the flashiest of the social bookmarking sites, it’s not for everyone.  For one thing, you can’t join without an invitation, though a link on the home page allows you to request an invitation directly from the company. Also, because of its emphasis on images and not text, Pinterest is very much about things. The site doesn’t have ads, but there are many commercial links provided by people who hope you will buy their products.

They also help you organize virtual clutter. To make good use of bookmarking sites, get in the habit of tagging what you save. The more tags you create, the more likely you are to find what you need when you need it.

If Pinterest doesn’t appeal to you, there are many social bookmarking sites available. The sites listed below satisfy what psychologists call a deep human urge to collect, organize, and share.

Delicious — The first of the social bookmarking sites, Delicious has had a complete redesign that allows users to collect Internet content including articles and videos into “stacks” that can be private or public. The home page includes hot lists that make it easy to stay on top of trends.

Digg — A good choice for busy parents who are trying to keep up with news on a variety of channels.  In addition to posting your own links, users can vote thumbs up or down on stories posted by others.

Pinspire –Very similar to Pinterest but there’s no need for an invitation. Content is focused on clothes, crafts and home decorating.  Many people seem to use the site to plan weddings and remodeling projects.

Stumble Upon — A serendipitous way to explore the Internet, Stumble Upon allows you to submit, tag, and vote for sites that interest you. As you do, the site develops a sense of what interests you and helps you “stumble upon” other sites that have caught the attention of other people who share your enthusiasms.

Tumblr — Tumblr is ideal for people who would prefer to keep a running online log of things that interest them. This microblog site is easy to use and has a huge audience,

Wists — Wists appeals to people who like to window shop.  The name is short for wish lists, and users create amazing collections of shoes, gadgets, light fixtures, jewelry, and other objects they covet.

Whichever site you choose, you’ll need to exercise some self-discipline. Collecting can be an addictive pursuit—especially if the next treasure is only a click away. Give yourself a time limit for this pastime. And then step away from the screen, back into the three-dimensional world where there are real cupcakes to be baked, real rooms to be straightened, and real family members to be hugged.