diff --git a/defaults/main/variables.yml b/defaults/main/variables.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4391596
--- /dev/null
+++ b/defaults/main/variables.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+sway_variables:
+ - name: '$left'
+   value: 'h'
+ - name: '$down'
+   value: 'j'
+ - name: '$up'
+   value: 'k'
+ - name: '$right'
+   value: 'l'
+ - name: '$term'
+   value: 'foot'
+ - name: '$menu' 
+   value: 'dmenu_path | dmenu | xargs swaymsg exec --'
diff --git a/files/90-startup.config b/files/90-startup.config
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2fafb70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/files/90-startup.config
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+exec_always "systemctl --user import-environment; systemctl --user start sway-session.target"
diff --git a/tasks/main.yml b/tasks/main.yml
index 8d362cb..743f7dd 100644
--- a/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/tasks/main.yml
@@ -38,9 +38,16 @@
     validate: >-
      sh -c "if sway --config %s --validate 2>&1 | grep -q sway/config.c; then >&2 echo \"Error validating sway configuration\"; exit 1; else exit 0; fi"
   loop:
+    - 00-variables
     - 10-input
     - 20-output
     - 30-theme
     - 40-workspaces
     - 50-keybindings
   any_errors_fatal: true
+
+- name: Copy default startup Sway conf file
+  ansible.builtin.copy:
+    src: '90-startup.config'
+    dest: '{{ ansible_user_dir }}/.config/systemd/user/'
+    mode: 0640
diff --git a/templates/00-variables.config.j2 b/templates/00-variables.config.j2
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..03e7879
--- /dev/null
+++ b/templates/00-variables.config.j2
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{% if sway_variables %}
+{% for v in sway_variables %}
+set {{ v.name }} {{ v.value}}
+{% endfor %}
+{% endif %}