diff --git a/cmd/init.go b/cmd/init.go
index cb41060..44ea98c 100644
--- a/cmd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/init.go
@@ -13,6 +13,26 @@ func init() {
   RootCmd.AddCommand(initCommand)
 }
 
+func backupExistingConfigs(programs []string) {
+  // takes list of programs and backs up configs for them
+  configRoot := os.Getenv("HOME") + "/.config/"
+  for _, program := range(programs) {
+    // TODO: do something here
+    print(configRoot + program)
+  }
+}
+
+func createDotfileStructure(programs []string) {
+  // takes list of programs and creates dotfiles for them
+  dotfileRoot := os.Getenv("HOME") + "/.dotfiles/"
+  for _, program := range(programs) {
+    fmt.Printf("attempting to create directory %s%s\n", dotfileRoot, program)
+    if err := os.MkdirAll(dotfileRoot + program, os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+      log.Fatal(err)
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 var initCommand = &cobra.Command {
   Use: "init",
   Run: func(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
@@ -42,7 +62,7 @@ var initCommand = &cobra.Command {
 
       for _, acceptedfile := range(acceptedfiles) {
         if path == rootpath + acceptedfile {
-          files = append(files, path)
+          files = append(files, path[len(rootpath):])
         }
       }
       return nil
@@ -54,8 +74,10 @@ var initCommand = &cobra.Command {
 
     fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), "binaries installed: \n =======================\n")
     for _, file := range(files) {
-      fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), file[len(rootpath):] + "\n" )
+      fmt.Fprintf(cmd.OutOrStdout(), file + "\n" )
     }
+
+    createDotfileStructure(files)
     
   },
 }
diff --git a/test/copy_test.go b/test/copy_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e23b0d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/copy_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+package test
+
+
diff --git a/tools/copy.go b/tools/copy.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69ce011
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/copy.go
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+package tools
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"io"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+)
+
+func CopyFile(srcFile, destFile string) error{
+  // helper function to copy files over
+  sourceFileStat, err := os.Stat(srcFile)
+  if err != nil {
+    return err
+  }
+
+  if !sourceFileStat.Mode().IsRegular() {
+    return fmt.Errorf("%s is not a regular file", srcFile)
+  }
+
+  source, err := os.Open(srcFile)
+  if err != nil {
+    return err
+  }
+  defer source.Close()
+
+  destination, err := os.Create(destFile)
+  if err != nil {
+    return err
+  }
+  defer destination.Close()
+  _, err = io.Copy(destination, source)
+
+  return err
+}
+
+func CopyDir(srcDir, destDir string) error {
+  entries, err := os.ReadDir(srcDir)
+  if err != nil {
+    return err
+  }
+
+  for _, entry := range(entries) {
+    sourcePath := filepath.Join(srcDir, entry.Name())
+    destPath := filepath.Join(destDir, entry.Name())
+
+    err := CopyFile(sourcePath, destPath)
+    if err != nil {
+      return err
+    }
+  }
+
+  return nil
+}