We all love the Netflix show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” where Marie goes around to different spaces and help make it organized. A clean, organized space makes is a functional, happy place to be. So how does this tie into WordPress?
Plugins. They are useful, convenient and there when we can’t or don’t have time to do a needed function. They are very functional in times of need and help get a site up and running. I even do reviews on different plugins to give you an idea on how well they work. However, too many plugins can have a few negative effects on your website. I talk about this in the Good, The Bad and the Buggy but here’s an overview of what too many plugins can do
Speed
Websites with too many plugins will notice their site loading more slowly than usual. That’s because everytime another page is accessed, all of the activated plugins load their code on your website. As you can imagine, this can get pretty bloated with code, and in turn slow down your site.
Functionality
Plugins can sometimes run into conflict into other plugins. The code in a plugin can mess with code in another plugin and errors generate as a result. These errors will then show up randomly on your WordPress site, making your site less than functional and giving the impression that it is broken.
Compatibility
Plugins that are old or outdated will become incompatible with the last WordPress and will start to lose it’s functionality as a result.
Clutter
Having a lot of plugins can add alot to your admin bar and make it cluttered and… messy.
So how do you clean up any un-wanted plugins? Using the Kondo’d method of course!
Greet your WordPress site
Log in and greet your WordPress site. Take a moment to welcome yourself into it’s space and thank it for all it has done for you.
Ask each plugin “Do this bring joy?”
Go to your plugin list. Go through each plugin one at a time. See when the last time it has been updated. Notice if there are any weird errors or functionality issues with the particular plugin. Is there something that you can do that will no longer require you to use the plugin (like custom coding)? Ask the plugin “Does it bring joy?”
Thank your plugin
If the function of the plugin is no longer needed, thank it for all it has done. Then from there, hit Deactivate and then Delete.
Bonus! Seek out a better plugin
If there is a certain function that you need from a certain plugin and it is no longer serving it’s purpose, seek out another plugin from the WordPress Plugin Directory to see if there is another one that will takes it’s place. Make sure that the plugin is up to date and functional.
Now your WordPress site is clean, functional and happy!