Spring Clean Your Blog!

About this time last year, I suggested we all "Pimp" our blogs.

Pimp is the kind of phrase guaranteed to make my mother spin in her grave and borrowed from my "may-as-well-be son-in-law", Dan, who is mad about cars. Pimp means to kit out, glam up or decorate your car the way you really want it to look.  Of course the term "pimp" has other less salubrious connotations which we will steadfastly ignore for the purposes of this post.

For those of us in the southern hemisphere, the 1st of September means spring has sprung.  The jasmine is out in my backyard and the weather is warmer. The doona hasn't come off the bed yet but it won't be long before Summer is here.

This week, I borrowed a book from my local library by Robin Houghton called The Golden Rules of Blogging: The Do's and Don'ts every Blogger Needs to Know.  

I reviewed it on goodreads as follows:

This is a beautifully designed little book. Short and easy to read, it presents 28 rules of blogging with expert commentary for and against following the rules. There are cute little thermometers which indicate the risk (low to high) of not following each rule. A handy diagnostic tool for performing a checkup on the health of your blog.

My blog's design has been bugging me for a while.  I love the clean look of other people's blogs.  It's all about white space isn't it?  One of the tips in the book was to avoid light text on dark background. Guess what my blog was? Light text on a dark background.  But I was so in love with my tree template. It was so hard to let it go.  But I've buried it.  It's gone to the great blog design graveyard in cyber-space.


Lutwyche Cemetery

What do you think makes for a great blog?  Are you going to spring clean your blog this week?

Comments

Looks good Alex! I've had a blog do-over in the works for a while now. Maybe it's time to activate it.
Alex Daw said…
Go for it Shelley! Be prepared for a few hours of deliberating. I can't believe how long I spent fiddling with photos and fonts but I'm pleased with the result. I think it looks much easier to read I think and more streamlined.
ScotSue said…
I like the new look, Alex. I must admit I have found blogs with a dark background and light font off putting, as I do not have good eyesight. I found your blog makeover challenge last year very rewarding, but I am not too sure where I will go this time round. I am very happy to have any suggestions from fellow bloggers.
Fiona Tellesson said…
Great make-over Alex...
True Lewis said…
Hello Alex! I remember the suggestions to make to my Blog for Clean Up! and I'm still in my old drabs for 2 years. I think it's time. Like you I'm gonna miss it!!! I'll make a decision soon. Light text on a dark background has been my thing. I been making it my OWN since I had it and tweeking it from time to time. I'm just nervous! I think I need to go ahead and Pimp my Blog Out!
Alex Daw said…
Thanks Sue. I'm loving it more and more and delighted that the payoff is that it's easier to read. I shall mosey on over to your blog and see what I can see.
Alex Daw said…
Hey True! So good to hear from you. Go on ! Do it! You won't regret it. Well, at least I haven't so far...but it took about a day's work before I fiddled enough with the design to get to where I wanted.
I and my friends were going through the nice, helpful tips from the blog then the sudden came up with an awful suspicion I never expressed respect to the website owner for those secrets.

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