After 10+ years building websites, I’ve realised half of becoming a better designer is simply stopping things that looked clever at the time.

A few things I quietly retired:

## 1. Designing websites only for other designers

Turns out normal people don’t care about your ultra-minimal navigation concept inspired by a Scandinavian furniture catalogue.

They just want to find the contact button.

## 2. Adding animations to everything

Not every section needs to fly in from the left like it’s auditioning for Britain’s Got Talent.

Sometimes static is fine. Peaceful, even.

## 3. Chasing every new trend

Every year the internet reinvents the same 4 design styles and gives them a new name.

Meanwhile, good spacing and readable text continue to do most of the heavy lifting.

## 4. Ignoring performance

A beautiful website that loads like it’s being delivered by carrier pigeon is still a bad website.

## 5.…