I typically just back up /home, /Documents, and /Downloads.
Everything else can just be re-installed. (And I do have a script to reinstall all my apps after a clean OS install)
Thanks shadowace- i think I asked you awhile back about the script. If I had something like that, I would be set to go- mostly- but then there are custom settings for the look and feel of th3 os, like the clock format (though redoing that is no big deal, I have the syntaxes for it written down), and a few other minor custom things. But having all the programs rei stalled with al, the customizations would shave off a few hours of the rei stall of Linux