diff --git a/autorun.conf b/autorun.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3966f8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/autorun.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+# Things that will get started automatically at startup
+# greenclip for clipboard management
+exec --no-startup-id greenclip daemon
+
+#picom for compositing
+exec_always --no-startup-id picom --backend glx --vsync
+
+#password keyring unlock
+exec --no-startup-id /home/kellya/projects/public/gnome-keyring-yubikey-unlock /home/kellya/gnome-secret
+
+# start nm-applet for network tray icon
+exec --no-startup-id nm-applet
+
+# Set screen lock
+exec xset s 300 5
+exec xss-lock -n /usr/libexec/xsecurelock/dimmer -l -- xsecurelock
+
+# Load workspace configs
+exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws1; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w1.json'"
+exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws2; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w2.json'"
+exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws3; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w3.json'"
+exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws4; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w4.json'"
+exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws5; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w5.json'"
+exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws6; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w6.json'"
+
+# use gnome settings to set gnome things to dark mode by default
+exec --no-startup-id /usr/libexec/gsd-xsettings
+
+# start background rotator script
+exec --no-startup-id ~/bin/bg_rotate.sh
+
+# Always need firefox, so let's just start it
+exec --no-startup-id firefox
+
+# Create a kitty workspace for mail
+exec --no-startup-id "kitty --name mail neomutt"
+
+# start the auto run .desktop files
+exec --no-startup-id dex-autostart --autostart --environment i3
diff --git a/config b/config
index 59722ee..12d4617 100644
--- a/config
+++ b/config
@@ -6,63 +6,23 @@ set $mod Mod4
 #Set $alt to the alt key
 set $alt Mod1
 
-# Define names for default workspaces
-# don't use quotes and spaces like the example, run it all together or the restore won't work
-set $ws1 1:fire
-set $ws2 2:comment
-set $ws3 3:terminal
-set $ws4 4:code
-set $ws5 5:music
-set $ws6 6:tasks
-set $ws7 7
-set $ws8 8
-set $ws9 9
-set $ws10 10
-
-# Font for window titles. Will also be used by the bar unless a different font
-# is used in the bar {} block below.
-#font pango:monospace 8
 font pango:FiraCode 8
 hide_edge_borders smart
 
-# Use pactl to adjust volume in PulseAudio.
 set $refresh_i3status killall -SIGUSR1 i3status
 
 # Use Mouse+$mod to drag floating windows to their wanted position
 floating_modifier $mod
 
-# New workspaces will get fullscreen/tabbed by default
-workspace_layout tabbed
-
 # This font is widely installed, provides lots of unicode glyphs, right-to-left
 # text rendering and scalability on retina/hidpi displays (thanks to pango).
 #font pango:DejaVu Sans Mono 8
 
-exec --no-startup-id greenclip daemon
-exec_always --no-startup-id picom --backend glx --vsync
-exec --no-startup-id /home/kellya/projects/public/gnome-keyring-yubikey-unlock /home/kellya/gnome-secret
-# start nm-applet for network tray icon
-exec --no-startup-id nm-applet
+# Include default workspace variables
+include workspaces.conf
 
-# Set screen lock
-exec xset s 300 5
-exec xss-lock -n /usr/libexec/xsecurelock/dimmer -l -- xsecurelock
-# Load workspace configs
-exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws1; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w1.json'"
-exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws2; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w2.json'"
-exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws3; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w3.json'"
-exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws4; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w4.json'"
-exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws5; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w5.json'"
-exec --no-startup-id "i3-msg 'workspace $ws6; append_layout ~/.config/i3/layout/w6.json'"
-# use gnome settings to set gnome things to dark mode by default
-exec --no-startup-id /usr/libexec/gsd-xsettings
-# start background rotator script
-exec --no-startup-id ~/bin/bg_rotate.sh
-# Always need firefox, so let's just start it
-exec --no-startup-id firefox
-# Create a kitty workspace for mail
-exec --no-startup-id "kitty --name mail neomutt"
-exec --no-startup-id dex-autostart --autostart --environment i3
+# Include the initial exec commands
+include autorun.conf
 
 
 # Pull the rest of config from .conf files in conf.d
diff --git a/workspaces.conf b/workspaces.conf
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dcaee8b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/workspaces.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+# Define names for default workspaces
+# don't use quotes and spaces like the example, run it all together or the restore won't work
+set $ws1 1:fire
+set $ws2 2:comment
+set $ws3 3:terminal
+set $ws4 4:code
+set $ws5 5:music
+set $ws6 6:tasks
+set $ws7 7
+set $ws8 8
+set $ws9 9
+set $ws10 10
+
+# New workspaces will get fullscreen/tabbed by default
+workspace_layout tabbed