My daughter has more books than a small library.  The good news is that she loves to read.  I (of course) love this.  The flip side is that I am faced with a plethora of books strewn about the house.  To encourage her to put her books away when she is done reading, I made a few magazine holders out of cereal boxes.  I made each one a different size to demonstrate the size of the books that go into each box.  I lined them up on a shelf and taught her the "new system" for organizing her books.  She loves it because she enjoys looking at the pictures on the sides.  I love it because it has encouraged her to put her books away.  A win-win.  The best part is that they are put away nicely and not heaped up in a "leaning tower of Pisa" pile.  To learn how to make a magazine holder out of a cereal box, click here.

"Organizing, it really does improve life.  I don't want to do it myself, but I like the results."

What I recommend to my clients for dealing with magazines is to first sort the magazines you receive by those that you "love to read" and those that you "never have time to read."
 
For those that you "never have time to read," consider calling and asking to cancel or switch your subscription.  Often magazines have affiliations and you can simply select another title.  Alternatively, you can donate them to a local dentist, doctor, or other practice with a waiting room until your current subscription runs out.  (It's great to recycle them but better to reuse them first!)
 
For those that you "love to read," organize the magazines that you have not read yet in a magazine file, only keeping the last 1-3 issues.  As you read a magazine, tear out articles of interest and organize them by topic in a binder or expandable file.  Topics may include: Health, Recipes, Mommy Tips, Crafts, etc.  Once you are finished reading that magazine and have selected (and filed) your articles, recycle it.

Birthdays are crazy enough without adding to the clutter. For your next birthday, ask for "consumables" like a gift certificate to the spa or a dinner for 2 at your favorite restaurant.