[Q] Smooth version upgrade (keep contacts etc) topic

Tech guy but smartphone n00b. Today first attempt to upgrade CM7 to CM10 (boils down to an Android question, still... I think).
HTC Desire Z.

Upgrading went ok, but how to I migrate my:
-local contacts (phone, not google synced)
-apps
--settings

without reinstalling all apps and reconfiguring them?

I tried to restore /data from a previous ClockworkMod backup (lucky I made one), result was a sheer mess, OS reinited on whatever I did.
Back to cm7 for now.

Pointers appreciated.