diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7bc3a273..0612b374 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,12 +1,8 @@
 node_modules/
 .idea/
-config/lbryConfig.js
-config/loggerConfig.js
+
 config/mysqlConfig.js
 config/siteConfig.js
-devConfig/slackConfig.js
-devConfig/sequelizeCliConfig.js
-devConfig/testingConfig.js
 
 public/bundle/
 index.js
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0898be0c..1b135906 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -13,11 +13,9 @@ Spee.ch is a web app that reads and publishes images and videos to and from the
 	* clone this repo
 	* run `npm install`
 	* create your own config files in `/config`
-	  * copy `example.js.example` and name it `example.js`
+	  * copy `mysqlConfig.js.example` and name it `mysqlConfig.js`
+	  * copy `siteConfig.js.example` and name it `siteConfig.js`
 	  * replace the `null` values in the config file with the appropriate values for your environment
-	* create your own config files in `/devConfig`
-	  * copy `example.js.example` and name it `example.js`
-	  * note: you must create these files, but the default values are sufficient if you do not want to update them.
 	* build the app by running `npm run build`
 	* to start the server, run `npm run start`
 * visit [localhost:3000](http://localhost:3000)
diff --git a/devConfig/lbryConfig.js.example b/devConfig/lbryConfig.js.example
deleted file mode 100644
index dd954fcc..00000000
--- a/devConfig/lbryConfig.js.example
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,6 +0,0 @@
-module.exports = {
-  api: {
-    apiHost: 'localhost',
-    apiPort: '5279',
-  },
-};
diff --git a/devConfig/loggerConfig.js.example b/devConfig/loggerConfig.js.example
deleted file mode 100644
index bbbbbbcf..00000000
--- a/devConfig/loggerConfig.js.example
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-module.exports = {
-  logLevel: 'debug',  // options: silly, debug, verbose, info
-};
diff --git a/devConfig/sequelizeCliConfig.js.example b/devConfig/sequelizeCliConfig.js
similarity index 84%
rename from devConfig/sequelizeCliConfig.js.example
rename to devConfig/sequelizeCliConfig.js
index 8b91eccb..e17d75a5 100644
--- a/devConfig/sequelizeCliConfig.js.example
+++ b/devConfig/sequelizeCliConfig.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-module.exports = {
+const sequelizeCliConfig = {
   development: {
     username: '',
     password: '',
@@ -21,3 +21,5 @@ module.exports = {
     dialect : 'mysql',
   },
 };
+
+module.exports = sequelizeCliConfig;
diff --git a/devConfig/slackConfig.js b/devConfig/slackConfig.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a0d59ca6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devConfig/slackConfig.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module.exports = {
+  slackWebHook     : '',
+  slackErrorChannel: '',
+  slackInfoChannel : null,
+};
diff --git a/devConfig/slackConfig.js.example b/devConfig/slackConfig.js.example
deleted file mode 100644
index 9f4b8f21..00000000
--- a/devConfig/slackConfig.js.example
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-module.exports = {
-  slackWebHook     : null,
-  slackErrorChannel: null,
-  slackInfoChannel : null,
-};
diff --git a/devConfig/testingConfig.js b/devConfig/testingConfig.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3ad9e8a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/devConfig/testingConfig.js
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+module.exports = {
+  testChannel        : '',
+  testChannelId      : '',
+  testChannelPassword: '',
+};
diff --git a/devConfig/testingConfig.js.example b/devConfig/testingConfig.js.example
deleted file mode 100644
index 4837fc20..00000000
--- a/devConfig/testingConfig.js.example
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,5 +0,0 @@
-module.exports = {
-  testChannel        : null, // a channel to make test publishes in
-  testChannelId      : null, // the claim id for the test channel
-  testChannelPassword: null, // password for the test channel
-};