Spring Clean Your Tech

Sitting for hours in front of your computer — whether you're at an office or working from home — is bad enough, but throw in the poorly positioned monitor, a chair that's not supporting your back, and a desk that's too small for your stature, and you have a cocktail for body aches and pains. Check with your HR department to see what kinds of ergonomic assessment services are available to you so you can get your desk in tip-top shape. Working from home? No sweat — let this Osha ergonomic evaluation checklist help you set up a healthy home office.

Keep up with all of our Spring cleaning tech tips here or at our 31 Days of Spring Cleaning Pinterest board!

When was the last time you synced your smartphone in order to backup your data, photos, music, and videos? Whether you have an iPhone, Android, or Windows phone, syncing and backing up your information and files will save you grief if by chance you lose your device, douse it in water, or drop it face down on the pavement, sending shards flying. Back up your phone's contents weekly, or more often if you take a lot of photos and video.

Keep up with all of our Spring cleaning tech tips here or at our 31 Days of Spring Cleaning Pinterest board!

Keep the paper and junk mail in check — start tracking your finances and paying your bills online instead. Opting to get your statements via email (for your bank and other utilities) can keep clutter and paper waste at bay. Plus, online monitoring services allow you to set budgets, get alerts when you've gone over your limit, and track where your spare cash is going so you can save a few bucks. Get your financial life organized with help from the free websites listed below!

• Mint — The leader of financial management sites, Mint charts every expense, transaction, and asset with easy-to-read charts, budget progress, and weekly financial summaries.
• LearnVest — Similar to Mint, LearnVest presents financial planning from a woman's point of view. Beyond budget and finance tracking, the site provides editorial content such as money tips and the option to connect with in-house financial experts.

See the rest of the list after the break.

Who says you have to stay connected 24/7? Taking some time off to detox from your digital life may be hard, but it could also be good for your health and well-being. While some people use Facebook, Twitter, and other forms of social media to stay in touch with friends, others can't step away for five minutes without losing their minds. Are you one of them? Daniel Sieberg, author of The Digital Diet, offers up tips on how to break your tech addiction, below.

• Avoid tech turds — One of our own favorite tech etiquette tips says that, as a rule of thumb, you shouldn't leave your phone out on the table. Sieberg has a more colorful way of saying it, calling these situations "tech turds": "Don't just dump your smartphone on the table at a restaurant or at home. Keep it in your pocket or purse unless it’s critical to have it out. If you must have it out, acknowledge its presence and inform your companions that you’ll check it only in an emergency. It's a courtesy that you'd appreciate, too."

See more tips after the break.

Aah, Facebook. The place where all of our photos, comments, monumental moments, and information are shared online. Ever stop to think about what would happen if Facebook went down — or worse, got hacked? Your Facebook profile most likely holds tons of your most precious photos and videos, and like your computer, you should back up all of that data just in case. Here, I'll tell you how to download all of your Facebook content, from wall posts to photo galleries.

You can download a copy of all of your Facebook data right on the social network. Just head to Account > Account Settings > Download a Copy of Your Facebook Data (this link will be in the bottom left-hand corner of the Account Settings window). Included in the download is your contact info, photos, videos, notes, and wall posts as well as chat conversations, friend lists, events, and comments made on your wall posts. If you do choose to back up your Facebook data (it's recommended!), then be sure to keep it in a safe place, like a password-protected file on an external hard drive.

There may be some stylish ways to wrangle your remote controls, but the question that begs to be asked is — "Do you really need all those remotes in the first place?" If you've been keeping those remotes around because you didn't think you had an alternative, may I introduce you to the universal remote. Buying and programming a universal remote can rid your coffee table of clutter and help you streamline your viewing experience. The Logitech Harmony Touch ($214) has been invaluable in my house since it controls all of my components — from my TV to sound system, DVD player, even my PS3 — and comes with an easy-to-use touchscreen. If you already have a universal remote, let this serve as a reminder to program it already. It'll make your life so much easier.

You've been so busy organizing your digital library and backing up your photos for safekeeping that you may have forgotten to do one thing: clear out your SD card! There's nothing worse than getting set up for the perfect shot only to be told by your camera that there's no more space on your memory card to capture the moment. Unless you always have a spare SD card on hand to switch out, routinely clear out your photos from your camera's memory card after you've backed them up to your external hard drive, so you're never without space.

Keep up with all of our Spring cleaning tech tips here or at our 31 Days of Spring Cleaning Pinterest board!

You did a great job ensuring the household didn't miss a single laugh of the current 30 Rock season, but do you still need to save already-viewed episodes and those from seasons past? Take today to finally accomplish one simple task that always gets put off: clearing the DVR queue. Finally, space on the DVR to start discovering new BBC sci-fi or a secret guilty pleasure!

Keep up with all of our Spring cleaning tech tips here or on our 31 Days of Spring Cleaning Pinterest board!