diff --git a/sh/.config/sh/alias b/sh/.config/sh/alias
index e38fa3d..cf6e588 100644
--- a/sh/.config/sh/alias
+++ b/sh/.config/sh/alias
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ alias ..="cd .."
 alias ...="cd ../.."
 alias ~="cd ~"
 
-
 # clear my screen
 alias cl="clear"
 
diff --git a/sh/.config/sh/xdg b/sh/.config/sh/xdg
index 90701cb..8754655 100644
--- a/sh/.config/sh/xdg
+++ b/sh/.config/sh/xdg
@@ -30,4 +30,6 @@ test -d "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME" || mkdir -p -m 0700 "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME"
 test -d "$XDG_DATA_HOME" || mkdir -p -m 0700 "$XDG_DATA_HOME"
 
 ## Applications that can be set through environment variables
+export NVM_DIR="$XDG_DATA_HOME/nvm"
+export TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH="$XDG_DATA_HOME/tmux"
 export ZDOTDIR="$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/zsh"
diff --git a/tmux/.config/sh/alias.d/tmux.sh b/tmux/.config/sh/alias.d/tmux.sh
index 6ec57a6..a474006 100644
--- a/tmux/.config/sh/alias.d/tmux.sh
+++ b/tmux/.config/sh/alias.d/tmux.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@
 
 exist() { type "$1" >/dev/null 2>&1; }
 
+# alias tmux to follow xdg-specification
+# shellcheck disable=2139
+alias tmux="tmux -f ${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}/tmux/tmux.conf"
+
 # show a list of running tmux sessions
 alias tl='tmux list-sessions -F "#{session_name}" 2>/dev/null'
 
diff --git a/tmux/.config/tmux/tmux.conf b/tmux/.config/tmux/tmux.conf
index 598908a..3788829 100644
--- a/tmux/.config/tmux/tmux.conf
+++ b/tmux/.config/tmux/tmux.conf
@@ -48,20 +48,21 @@ set -ga terminal-overrides '*:Ss=\E[%p1%d q:Se=\E[ q'
 ## 2. PLUGINS     ##
 ####################
 
-# Plugins -- TO INITALLY SET UP THE PLUGINS PRESS bind-key I (that is shift i)
-# -- a message will appear after a second saying succes
-#run-shell ~/.tmux-plugins/resurrect/resurrect.tmux
-set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tpm'
-set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-sensible'
-set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-yank'
-set -g @plugin 'Morantron/tmux-fingers'
-set -g @plugin 'christoomey/vim-tmux-navigator'
-set -g @plugin 'tmux-plugins/tmux-resurrect'
+set -g @tpm_plugins '           \
+   tmux-plugins/tpm             \
+   tmux-plugins/tmux-sensible   \
+   christoomey/vim-tmux-navigator \
+   Morantron/tmux-fingers       \
+   '
 
-if "test ! -z ${TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH} && test ! -d ${TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH}/tpm" \
-   "run 'git clone https://github.com/tmux-plugins/tpm {TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH}/tpm && {TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH}/tpm/bin/install_plugins'"
+set -g @fingers-key F
 
-run -b "${TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH}/tpm/tpm"
+# make sure tpm is installed
+if-shell "test ! -d $TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH/tpm" \
+   "run 'git clone https://github.com/tmux-plugins/tpm $TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH/tpm && $TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH/tpm/bin/install_plugins'" \
+
+# optinally add this to install plugins on each start -- adds small lag to startup
+   # "run-shell $TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH/tpm/bin/install_plugins"
 
 #####################
 ## 3. KEYBINDINGS  ##
@@ -76,12 +77,6 @@ set -g prefix C-a
 unbind-key C-b
 bind-key -r C-a send-prefix
 
-# Pane Navigation - Vim Keys
-bind-key -n C-h select-pane -L
-bind-key -n C-j select-pane -D
-bind-key -n C-k select-pane -U
-bind-key -n C-l select-pane -R
-
 # Window Navigation - Prefix + Vim Keys
 bind-key -r C-h select-window -t :-
 bind-key -r C-l select-window -t :+
@@ -115,29 +110,16 @@ bind-key '-' split-window -v -c '#{pane_current_path}'
 # Open a sessions chooser
 bind C-j split-window -v "tmux list-sessions | sed -E 's/:.*$//' | grep -v \"^$(tmux display-message -p '#S')\$\" | fzf --reverse | xargs tmux switch-client -t"
 
-# Quick-View Panes
-bind-key h split-window -h 'glances'
-bind-key t split-window -h 'vim ~/todo.md'
-
 #####################
 ## 4. THEME        ##
 #####################
 
-## theme from github.com/jimeh/tmux-themepack, the powerline/default/blue theme.
-## It is integrated with prefix highlight for this tmux conf
-
 # Status update interval
 set -g status-interval 1
 # Clock mode
 set -g clock-mode-colour colour24
 set -g clock-mode-style 24
 
-# Sets both Prefix mode and Copy mode to be highlighted in the status bar.
-set -g @prefix_highlight_show_copy_mode 'on'
-set -g @prefix_highlight_copy_mode_attr 'fg=black,bg=yellow,bold' # default is 'fg=default,bg=yellow'
-set -g @prefix_highlight_prefix_prompt 'Command'
-set -g @prefix_highlight_copy_prompt 'Copy'
-
 # This tmux statusbar config was created by tmuxline.vim
 # on Wed, 13 Mar 2019
 
@@ -194,3 +176,5 @@ bind -T off F12 \
   set -u window-status-current-style \;\
   set -u window-status-current-format \;\
   refresh-client -S
+
+run -b "$TMUX_PLUGIN_MANAGER_PATH/tpm/tpm"