diff --git a/copy_configs b/copy_configs
index 63bd424..6871053 100755
--- a/copy_configs
+++ b/copy_configs
@@ -3,18 +3,6 @@
 execute() { log "execute $@" && "$@" }
 log() { echo "$@" }
 
-copy_dir() {
-    local from=$1
-    local to=$2
-    pushd $from > /dev/null
-    local dirs=(`find . -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d`)
-    for dir in $dirs; do
-        [[ -d $to/$dir ]] && execute rm -rf $to/$dir
-        execute cp -rp $dir $to/$dir
-    done
-    popd > /dev/null
-}
-
 copy_file() {
     local from=$1
     local to=$2
@@ -23,20 +11,42 @@ copy_file() {
     execute cp -p $from $to/$filename
 }
 
-log "---------------- dotfiles ----------------"
+copy_dir() {
+    local from=$1
+    local to=$2
+    pushd $from > /dev/null
+    local directories=(`find . -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d`)
+    for dir in $directories; do
+        [[ -d $to/$dir ]] && execute rm -rf $to/$dir
+        execute cp -rp $dir $to/$dir
+    done
+    local files=(`find . -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type f`)
+    for file in $files; do
+        copy_file $file $to
+    done
+    popd > /dev/null
+}
 
-copy_dir src_files/.config $XDG_CONFIG_HOME
-copy_dir src_files/.local $DIR_LOCAL
+link_dir() {
+    local src_dir=$1
+    local link_dir=$2
+    log "deleting existing link/dir: $link_dir"
+    [[ -h "$link_dir" ]] && rm $link_dir
+    [[ -d "$link_dir" ]] && rm -rf $link_dir
+    log "sym-linking $link_dir -> $src_dir"
+    ln -s $src_dir $link_dir
+}
+
+log "---------------- dotfiles ----------------"
 
 copy_file src_files/.config/zsh/.zshenv $HOME # duplicate, copy anyway, ensures $ZDOTDIR
 
-# on macos, handle sim-linking to gimp config since gimp defaults to app-support
-if [[ "$BOX_SETUP_OS" = "macos" ]]; then
-    local macos_gimp_dir="$HOME/Library/Application Support/GIMP"
-    log "deleting existing GIMP link/dir: $macos_gimp_dir"
-    [[ -h "$macos_gimp_dir" ]] && rm $macos_gimp_dir
-    [[ -d "$macos_gimp_dir" ]] && rm -rf $macos_gimp_dir
-    log "linking $macos_gimp_dir to \$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP"
-    ln -s $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP $macos_gimp_dir
-fi
+copy_dir src_files/.config $XDG_CONFIG_HOME
+copy_dir src_files/.local/bin $DIR_BIN
+copy_dir src_files/.local/scripts $DIR_SCRIPTS
+
+# on macos, gimp defaults to app-support, so sym-link to actual config
+[[ "$BOX_SETUP_OS" = "macos" ]] &&
+    link_dir "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/GIMP" "$HOME/Library/Application Support/GIMP"
+link_dir "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vim" "$HOME/.vim" # TODO: use vim wrapper or similar instead
 
diff --git a/src_files/.config/vim/pack/plugins/start/.git-repo-placeholder b/src_files/.config/vim/pack/plugins/start/.plugin-git-clone-script
old mode 100644
new mode 100755
similarity index 68%
rename from src_files/.config/vim/pack/plugins/start/.git-repo-placeholder
rename to src_files/.config/vim/pack/plugins/start/.plugin-git-clone-script
index 9ca0caa..b424585
--- a/src_files/.config/vim/pack/plugins/start/.git-repo-placeholder
+++ b/src_files/.config/vim/pack/plugins/start/.plugin-git-clone-script
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
-plugins, git repos for ref, clone in this dir if needed
+#/bin/zsh
+
 git clone https://github.com/ghifarit53/tokyonight-vim.git
 git clone https://github.com/leafgarland/typescript-vim.git
diff --git a/src_files/.config/vim/vimrc b/src_files/.config/vim/vimrc
index c1b6394..4d9b1a6 100644
--- a/src_files/.config/vim/vimrc
+++ b/src_files/.config/vim/vimrc
@@ -1,7 +1,12 @@
 " base settings
 set nocompatible
 let mapleader=","
-set runtimepath+=$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vim
+
+" xdg base directory settings/clean-up
+set runtimepath^=$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/vim
+" add other dirs to path as needed
+" XDG_CONFIG_HOME, XDG_CACHE_HOME, XDG_DATA_HOME, XDG_STATE_HOME, XDG_DATA_DIRS
+" set/override other filenames/paths/dirs as needed
 
 " plugin config
 	let g:netrw_banner=0 " hide banner
diff --git a/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc
index 59c15dd..353de63 100644
--- a/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc
+++ b/src_files/.config/zsh/.zshrc
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ set -o vi
 # path updates
 export PATH=$DIR_BIN:$DIR_SCRIPTS:$PATH
 export PATH=$PATH:/opt/homebrew/opt/ccache/libexec:/opt/homebrew/bin
-export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin/android-sdk-darwin/platform-tools
 
 # shortcuts for common commands
 alias 3e='echo;echo;echo'