Blog Tips: Speeding Things Up and Keeping It Simple

A slow blog can be frustrating—not just for readers but for us too! If you’re like me, you want things to load quickly and run smoothly, without getting too technical. Here are a few easy ways to keep your WordPress blog running well.

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Check Your Blog’s Speed

Even if your site seems fine, it’s worth checking now and then. You can do a quick test with this free tool from WordPress:
👉 WordPress Page Speed Test

Just pop in your blog or post link, and it’ll tell you how it’s performing on both desktop and mobile.

When you run the speed test on your site, you’ll see there are a ton of things to fix. I’m still learning what they all mean, but I’m starting with photos as an easy fix.

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Compress and Resize Images

One of the biggest reasons a blog slows down is oversized images. Here’s how I manage mine:

• Before uploading, use TinyPNG to reduce the file size.
• I mainly use Lightroom to export photos taken by Nisha or Basker. I usually select “Download Small” so the images are ready for blog use without extra resizing.
• For blog feature images or anything full-width, I aim for 1200 pixels wide — this size looks good without being too large.
• In draft posts, I leave the image size set to Large, click on it, and check the resolution in the right-hand side panel.
• I do this to double-check the image isn’t too large and shows at a sensible size for the blog. The Large setting usually fits nicely across the post without slowing it down.
• By clicking the image in the draft, I can see the actual dimensions on the right — making sure it’s close to 1200 pixels wide. It’s a quick way to avoid uploading an oversized image by mistake.

To resize images in WordPress:
Go to Media > click on the image > Edit Image > Scale Image.
It’s quick and free — no extra software or plugins needed. Just enter 1200 pixels wide and save.

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Regular Cleanups Help

Think of your blog like a home—it needs the occasional tidy-up!
Here’s what you can do every so often:

• Delete old draft posts
• Empty the trash
• Clear out spam comments
• Remove unused images from your media library

How to find unused images:
To keep your Media Library tidy, start by going to Media > Library in your WordPress dashboard. Then, switch to List View by clicking the small list icon near the top left. This view gives you more details about each image, including whether it’s “Attached” to a post or page.

• If an image says “Unattached,” it means WordPress doesn’t recognise it as being linked to any post or page. This often means the image is not in use and could possibly be deleted.
• However, be careful — some unattached images might still be used in places like galleries, widgets, or theme settings. So, before deleting, do a quick manual check by searching your posts or pages for the image file name or URL.
• Another way is to browse your posts and pages and note the images you actively use. Then compare this list to your Media Library to spot any extras that can be cleaned out.
• You can also click on an image in your media library and use the “Edit more details” option. This view shows useful info including “Uploaded to:” which tells you which post or page the image is linked with, if any. It’s a handy way to confirm if the image is really in use.
• When you click on an image, you’ll see options like View attachment page | Edit more details | Download file | Delete permanently — just be sure to click one of the first three and not Delete permanently unless you’re certain.
• From the same screen, click Edit Image, then use Scale to check the image size or resize it if needed.

I find manually reviewing images works well and helps avoid deleting anything important — plus, it keeps you in control without needing plugins or tools.

Gosh, things have developed and come a long way in the last 15 years I’ve been blogging!

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✅ Keep It Running Smoothly

WordPress.com already takes care of the heavy lifting with hosting and support, but a few small habits—like image resizing and occasional cleanups—go a long way. Less time fiddling with settings, more time enjoying the fun parts of blogging!

I’d love to know what works for you—feel free to share your tips or questions.

Thanks for reading— ♡ Janet