I’ve recently moved my blog from another host to WordPress.
I was super excited!!! New possibilities, new start, fresh ideas, great themes and more!!
Now, I know I’ve a lot to learn and it takes time, but DANG! There are some things you should just be told or warned about up front.
WordPress allows you to add media files to your posts! GREAT!
They even have a great little gallery for me to store my media files as I upload them! TERRIFIC!
Here it comes— the rant *stepping up on her little soap box*
I’m an organizer by nature. I like things nice and tidy. I tend to purge things that are taking up space I don’t necessarily need it to be taking up.
As I sat looking at me little media gallery on my WordPress dashboard, I thought to myself
“WOW, there are a lot of photos here just taking up space. I probably won’t use them again. Is there a delete option? OH YES! LOOK THERE IT IS”
So it begins. I am highlighting and choosing which photos to delete. You know, ones that I probably won’t be using in any other posts because they are so post specific.
I hit the delete button and BAM! Those photos are no longer taking up unnecessary space.
WHY!? Why did it never get brought to my attention that if I delete these photos, the posts they are in will no longer have them? Where was the little warning box reminding me that if I delete these photos it will affect the posts they are contained within?
Oh, that little box asked me if I was sure I wanted to delete the chosen files and at the time I WAS!
I’m more than a bit upset about this. I’ve so many posts that no longer have my beautiful photos. Gone, they’re just gone.
Sadly dear readers, I am not going to go back through every post and re-add every photo.
I am just going to keep moving forward. I apologize to you my dearest fans.
It just isn’t in me to sit through that entire mess and revisit every post.
I know you are an understanding lot and will continue to be devoted to my blog just as I am devoted to you.
I’ve learned my lesson. I now know I must leave every photo I upload, every PDF I create to share. I cannot delete them. They cannot be purged to create space that is being uselessly used by photos no longer useful.
But What Will I Do When The Space Is All Used Up?
Move my blog AGAIN? Delete photos and have none in the posts in which they lived?
Come on WordPress…What are my options here!? Do tell! Will I need to upgrade to a more expensive hosting? A bigger paying plan? Oh that’s just cheeky! Kudos to you for figuring out how to keep us always needing more!
*Stepping down from her little Soapbox* 
♥R
What have you learned the hard way as a blogger?
Just Bits and Pieces 
This surprised me because, in the past, when I deleted photos they were off the posts–just as you stated; however in the blog I just quit, when I wanted to be rid of a reader’s photo–it was deleted from my library, but remained stuck on the post. This was just within the past few weeks, so I don’t have a good answer for you. I wonder if it’s because you’re using one of WP’s older themes?? I suppose it would be extra work for you, but if you tried the “2011” theme (the one I use)–for example–maybe that would work better. You could always go back to your preferred theme….
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Ya know, I’m not sure if my theme is old or not. Suppose I probably need to check that out! Great idea! THANKS!
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You’re most welcome, it was just a thought. Chateau theme has been around at least 4 yrs, I know (which may be long in WP years 🙂 )
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I have often thought the same….too many photos. However, at the beginning of my blogging life (April 2013) I uploaded photos to a post (or two), decided I had better , deleted said photos from library only to have them remain in their respective posts. Now that may have been a computer cache issue…but I am glad you had your rant. I will be careful about what I delete in future.
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Oh how I wish I had a computer cache issue and all my photos were still in their respective places! I’m glad yours worked out and that you are now aware there could be an issue! SO thankful you stopped by! Have a great day!
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Be careful. I have heard that wordpress does a lot of sneaky stuff. I have had friends and at lost most of their posts all together. Good rant though. I found this out the hard way also.
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Oh no Sandy! You mean there could be something else? UGH!
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A good reminder for us & a bit sad for you… I would have gone back & put every image back though – funny how different we all are 🙂
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We are all different. I would’ve gone back through but I deleted over 50 photos; can’t imagine remembering which ones and where they went! It’s all good and so is being different! Thanks for stopping in and please come back soon!
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I have no answers, but share in your frustration, I’m not familiar enough with wordpress, so It’s gonna be a bit longer before I switch over.
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I’m not sure whether I like it or not at this moment!! 🙂
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Oh nooo. Rule number 1. Clutter is good! Don’t delete stuff. I end up with so much stuff on my sites because I know if I delete something it will be the wrong stuff.
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I don’t know about clutter being good but I will be leaving my photos alone!! LOL! Thanks for stopping in!
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a little rant every now and again is good for the soul…especially if it saves other poor souls from making a dreadful mistake. So sorry for your loss. 🙂
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Reblogged this on Stuff and what if… and commented:
Something all bloggers should know before any media is deleted.
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Robyn! You made me laugh – though it’s really not very funny, I can imagine how frustrated you are. And how sad your posts are without their pics.
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I’m glad you laughed Lottie! I did too! It was either laugh or break down into a bundle of sobs!! I think I’d choose to laugh every time as I look terrible when I cry! 😉
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This really strikes a chord of empathy. Same thing happened to me a few months ago. I also wanted to create more space and deleted many photos from older posts. I wouldn’t have realized the problem of disappearing images until a comment was made by another blogger. I anxiously went back for a peek and was horrified. Unlike you, I was new to blogging and had relatively few posts, but they were all heavily dependent on images that were gone. I tried my best to restore to original condition, but memory fails one and I did the best I could. You are absolutely right that all bloggers should be notified of this danger on the dashboard. I’d also like to know the answer to your question to WordPress about a reasonable option when space runs out which will eventually happen to all members.
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Oh thank you Olga! I hoped I wasn’t the only one out there who had made this mistake. I understand exactly how you feel. I don’t know, maybe some serious shares here will kick WordPress into action! LOL! Thanks for stopping in and sharing your story with me!
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Hopefully our voices are heard.
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hopefully
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