sorter.js

(function($){

	var opts_key = '_sorter_opts_';
	
	var defaults = {
			desc: false,
			duration: 300
		};

	function orderNumbers(a,b){
		return b - a;
	}
	
	function orderStrings(a,b){
		return a.localCompare(b);
	}
	
	function order(a,b, desc){
		if(isNaN(a) || isNaN(b)){
			return orderStrings(a,b) * (desc ? 1 : -1);
		}else{
			return orderNumbers(a,b) * (desc ? 1 : -1);
		}
	}
	
	function doMove(){
		var $that = $(this);
		var opts = $(this).data(opts_key);
		var children = opts.childFinder.apply($that);
		children.sort(function(a,b){
			var keya = opts.keyFinder.apply($(a));
			var keyb = opts.keyFinder.apply($(b));
            $(a).css({top:$(a).position().top});
            $(b).css({top:$(b).position().top});
			return order(keya, keyb, opts.desc);
		});
		var height = 0;
		var totalHeight = $(this).height();

        var length = $(children).length;
		$that.css({position: 'relative', height: totalHeight});	
		$(children).each(function(_,v){
            $(v).css({position: 'absolute'})
                .animate( {top: height }, opts.duration, null, 
                function(){ 
                    if(--length === 0){                        
                        $(children).appendTo($that).css({position: '', top:''});
                    } 
                });
			height = height + $(v).outerHeight();
		});	
	}
	
	$.fn.sortElements = function(opts){
        var settings = $.extend({}, defaults, opts);
		$(this).data(opts_key, settings);
		doMove.apply($(this));
	}
	
})(jQuery);