I created a smart playlist for all my 5-star-rated songs, and I put that and the automatic "New Music" playlist on my mobile device. Smart playlists are quick and handy!

I keep a playlist (easy to make if yours is lost) for all my top rated, i.e. 5 stars, and also look at the Itunes "Recently Added" playlist pretty often to grab something. And I've set up some playlists for specific stuff for specific mobile devices like "Running and Workout" or "current audio books." Playlists are a really quick way to grab music for download.

I have an 80gb iPod and I'm constantly adding and removing material by hand. But my collection is always growing, and I don't even try to have iTunes manage it.

You could filter by recent plays (if play frequency/date is an iTunes sorting option). Or dig up forgotten music by creating odd Smart Playlists. I love finding old tunes that I love, but have overlooked for a while.

Gah; I don't want to rate EVERYTHING!

Simple playlists like "workout" (okay, I use that mostly for hardcore typing...) and "cabaret songs" are basically what I had before, but I've mainly made those on my work computer. I guess I'll make 'em again...

Oh, don't rate EVERYTHING. Who has time? When you happen to be hearing something you love, give it 5 stars. My Itunes adds it automatically to my Top Rated playlist.

Or, glance through your collection and toss some tunes into a "Things I want to hear soon" playlist.

Or, pick out one artist and drop their stuff into a, for example, "Norah Jones" playlist.

Or, if like me you have more than one Mp3 player, make a playlist for each depending on its function, and set the synching so that playlist is uploaded to that player.

Playlists are just a great little organizing tool. Only true cataloguers like my husband actually spend time organizing and rating their entire massive collection -- playlists are for more regular people who just want to get some music fast and go.