diff --git i/example_project/settings.py w/example_project/settings.py
index 6a3af404..a184b08c 100644
--- i/example_project/settings.py
+++ w/example_project/settings.py
@@ -9,15 +9,10 @@ For the full list of settings and their values, see
 https://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.8/ref/settings/
 """
 
-# Build paths inside the project like this: os.path.join(BASE_DIR, ...)
-import os
-
 # Compatibility with Bootstrap 3
 from django.contrib.messages import constants as messages  # flake8: noqa
 
 
-BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__))
-
 # SECURITY WARNING: keep the secret key used in production secret!
 SECRET_KEY = 'change-this-on-your-production-server'
 
@@ -80,7 +75,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = (
     'allauth.socialaccount.providers.stackexchange',
 
     # Dev only dependencies. Do not include in any production site.
-    'debug_toolbar',
+    # 'debug_toolbar',
 )
 
 
@@ -88,7 +83,7 @@ MIDDLEWARE = (
     'django.middleware.security.SecurityMiddleware',
     'django.contrib.sessions.middleware.SessionMiddleware',
     # NOTE: Do not include DebugToolbarMiddleware in any production site.
-    'debug_toolbar.middleware.DebugToolbarMiddleware',
+    # 'debug_toolbar.middleware.DebugToolbarMiddleware',
     'django.middleware.common.CommonMiddleware',
     'django.middleware.csrf.CsrfViewMiddleware',
     'django.contrib.auth.middleware.AuthenticationMiddleware',
@@ -134,7 +129,7 @@ DATABASES = {
         # Use 'sqlite3', 'postgresql_psycopg2', 'mysql', 'sqlite3' or 'oracle'.
         'ENGINE': 'django.db.backends.sqlite3',
         # DB name or path to database file if using sqlite3.
-        'NAME': os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'hyperkitty.db'),
+        'NAME': '/var/lib/hyperkitty/data/hyperkitty.db',
         # The following settings are not used with sqlite3:
         'USER': 'hyperkitty',
         'PASSWORD': 'hkpass',
@@ -205,7 +200,7 @@ USE_TZ = True
 # Don't put anything in this directory yourself; store your static files
 # in apps' "static/" subdirectories and in STATICFILES_DIRS.
 # Example: "/var/www/example.com/static/"
-STATIC_ROOT = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'static')
+STATIC_ROOT = '/var/lib/hyperkitty/static'
 
 # URL prefix for static files.
 # Example: "http://example.com/static/", "http://static.example.com/"
@@ -318,7 +313,8 @@ COMPRESS_PRECOMPILERS = (
 # recompiled on each requests. It means running an additional "compress"
 # management command after each code upgrade.
 # http://django-compressor.readthedocs.io/en/latest/usage/#offline-compression
-# COMPRESS_OFFLINE = True
+COMPRESS_OFFLINE = True
+COMPRESS_ENABLED = True
 
 # Needed for debug mode
 INTERNAL_IPS = ('127.0.0.1',)
@@ -330,7 +326,7 @@ INTERNAL_IPS = ('127.0.0.1',)
 HAYSTACK_CONNECTIONS = {
     'default': {
         'ENGINE': 'haystack.backends.whoosh_backend.WhooshEngine',
-        'PATH': os.path.join(BASE_DIR, "fulltext_index"),
+        'PATH': "/var/lib/hyperkitty/fulltext_index",
         # You can also use the Xapian engine, it's faster and more accurate,
         # but requires another library.
         # http://django-haystack.readthedocs.io/en/v2.4.1/installing_search_engines.html#xapian
@@ -386,7 +382,7 @@ LOGGING = {
             'level': 'INFO',
             #'class': 'logging.handlers.RotatingFileHandler',
             'class': 'logging.handlers.WatchedFileHandler',
-            'filename': os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'hyperkitty.log'),
+            'filename': '/var/log/hyperkitty/hyperkitty.log',
             'formatter': 'verbose',
         },
         'console': {
@@ -444,9 +440,9 @@ CACHES = {
 # When DEBUG is True, don't actually send emails to the SMTP server, just store
 # them in a directory. This way you won't accidentally spam your mailing-lists
 # while you're fiddling with the code.
-if DEBUG == True:
+if DEBUG:
     EMAIL_BACKEND = 'django.core.mail.backends.filebased.EmailBackend'
-    EMAIL_FILE_PATH = os.path.join(BASE_DIR, 'emails')
+    EMAIL_FILE_PATH = '/var/lib/hyperkitty/emails'
 
 
 #