Digital Spring Cleaning: Responsible Ways To Dispose Of Old Tech

So many of us have a drawer full of old cell phones, tablets, headphones and more. If tidying it up is part of your spring-cleaning list, there are some new ways you can get rid of old tech responsibly.

"We found in surveys that three out of four people have just old tech lying around. Not just old phones, but tablets, old kids' tech," says CNET Senior Editor Bridget Carey who recommends websites like Decluttr, ItsWorthMore and BuyBackWorld, which will pay for old devices and cover shipping.

You can also sell items yourself on eBay. If you don't want to go online, you can take your tech to stores like Best Buy which offers gift cards for certain products.

"You can get a little bit more when the tech is a little newer and when the tech is a little more of a hot product." Carey says.

Old chargers and cables don't have to be thrown in the trash, many cities and some businesses have E-waste programs where those items can be dropped off. It's also important to recycle devices with lithium batteries because they can be harmful to the environment if tossed in a landfill. "They have to be handled differently than just everyday trash. We all want to be a little more responsible," Cary says.

And before re-selling or recycling an old device it's important to perform a full factory reset to wipe out any personal data you don't want in the wrong hands.