diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec76ec2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+backup
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 3d4ec9b..e668b14 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -1,37 +1,74 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
-BACKUP_DIR="$HOME/.dotfiles_backup"
-BASE_DIR="$HOME/.dotfiles"
-INCLUDE=".bashrc .bash_profile .vimrc .vim .screenrc .tmux.conf"
+home="$HOME"
+base_dir="$home/.dotfiles"
+backup_dir="$home/.dotfiles/backup"
+vim_plugins_dir="$home/.vim/bundle"
+vundle_dir="$vim_plugins_dir/Vundle.vim"
+include=(
+    .bash_profile
+    .bashrc
+    .screenrc
+    .tmux.conf
+    .vim/ftplugin/*.vim
+    .vimrc
+)
 
-if [[ -d "$BACKUP_DIR" ]] ; then
-    echo "removing previous backup at $BACKUP_DIR"
-    rm -rf "$BACKUP_DIR"
+if [[ -d "$backup_dir" ]] ; then
+    echo "removing previous backup at $backup_dir"
+    rm -rf "$backup_dir"
 fi
 
-echo "backing up existing dotfiles into $BACKUP_DIR"
-mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"
-for FNAME in $INCLUDE; do
+echo "backing up existing dotfiles into $backup_dir"
+mkdir -p "$backup_dir"
+for filename in ${include[@]}; do
+    source_path="$base_dir/$filename"
+    dest_path="$home/$filename"
+    backup_path="$backup_dir/$filename"
+    echo "file name:   $filename"
+    echo "source path: $source_path"
+    echo "dest path:   $dest_path"
+    echo "backup path: $backup_path"
+
 	# if a file doesn't actually exist in the repo, do nothing.
-    if [[ ! -a "$BASE_DIR/$FNAME" ]]; then
-		echo "WARNING:  file $BASE_DIR/$FNAME does not exist"
+    if [[ ! -a "$source_path" ]]; then
+        echo "no file found at source path $source_path, skipping"
 		continue
 	fi
 
 	# back up existing dotfiles, just for safety
-	FULLPATH="$HOME/$FNAME"
-	if [[ -a "$FULLPATH" && ! -h "$FULLPATH" ]]; then
-		echo "mv $FULLPATH -> $BACKUP_DIR/$FNAME"
-		mv "$FULLPATH" "$BACKUP_DIR/$FNAME"
+	if [[ -a "$dest_path" ]]; then
+        if [[ -h "$dest_path" ]]; then
+            # existing file is a symlink. delete it.
+            echo "removing old link at $dest_path"
+            rm "$dest_path"
+        else
+            # existing file is an original preferences file. archive it.
+            if [[ ! -d $(dirname "$backup_path") ]]; then
+                mkdir -pv $(dirname "$backup_path")
+            fi
+            echo "archiving old preferences file at $dest_path"
+            mv -v "$dest_path" "$backup_path"
+            echo "ok we archived it"
+        fi
 	fi
 
 	# symlink in the versioned dotfiles.
-	echo "ln $BASE_DIR/$FNAME" "$HOME/$FNAME"
-	ln -sf "$BASE_DIR/$FNAME" "$HOME/$FNAME"
+    echo "linking preferences file"
+	ln -sv "$source_path" "$dest_path"
+    echo "ok we linked it"
+    echo "--------------------------------------------------------------------------------"
 done
 
+if [[ ! -d "$vim_plugins_dir" ]]; then
+    mkdir -p "$vim_plugins_dir"
+fi
+
 # setup Vundle
-echo "cloning Vundle"
-git clone https://github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim.git ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim
+if [[ ! -d $vundle_dir ]]; then
+    echo "cloning Vundle"
+    git clone https://github.com/VundleVim/Vundle.vim.git ~/.vim/bundle/Vundle.vim
+fi
+
 echo "installing Vim plugins"
 vim +PluginInstall +qall