diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -209,6 +209,9 @@
 filename = taskell.md
 
 [layout]
+; top/bottom padding for the taskell window
+padding = 1
+
 ; the width of a column
 column_width = 30
 
@@ -219,6 +222,9 @@
 ; the icon to use when a task has a description
 ; the default icon may not display on all systems
 description_indicator = "≡"
+
+; whether to show the statusbar
+statusbar = true
 
 [markdown]
 ; the markdown to start a title line with
diff --git a/src/Config.hs b/src/Config.hs
--- a/src/Config.hs
+++ b/src/Config.hs
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 import Data.FileEmbed (embedFile)
 
 version :: Text
-version = "1.9.0"
+version = "1.9.1"
 
 usage :: Text
 usage = decodeUtf8 $(embedFile "templates/usage.txt")
diff --git a/src/Data/Taskell/Date.hs b/src/Data/Taskell/Date.hs
--- a/src/Data/Taskell/Date.hs
+++ b/src/Data/Taskell/Date.hs
@@ -26,25 +26,7 @@
 import Data.Time.Format   (FormatTime, ParseTime, formatTime, iso8601DateFormat, parseTimeM)
 
 import Data.Taskell.Date.RelativeParser (parseRelative)
-
-data Due
-    = DueTime UTCTime
-    | DueDate Day
-    deriving (Show, Eq)
-
-instance Ord Due where
-    compare (DueTime t) (DueDate d)   = t `compare` UTCTime d 0
-    compare (DueDate d) (DueTime t)   = UTCTime d 0 `compare` t
-    compare (DueDate d1) (DueDate d2) = d1 `compare` d2
-    compare (DueTime t1) (DueTime t2) = t1 `compare` t2
-
-data Deadline
-    = Passed
-    | Today
-    | Tomorrow
-    | ThisWeek
-    | Plenty
-    deriving (Show, Eq)
+import Data.Taskell.Date.Types          (Deadline (..), Due (..))
 
 -- formats
 dateFormat :: String
@@ -112,7 +94,7 @@
 inputToTime tz now txt =
     parseDate txt <?> (DueTime . localTimeToUTCTZ tz <$> parseT timeDisplayFormat txt) <?>
     case parseRelative now txt of
-        Right utc -> Just $ DueTime utc
+        Right due -> Just due
         Left _    -> Nothing
 
 isoToTime :: Text -> Maybe Due
diff --git a/src/Data/Taskell/Date/RelativeParser.hs b/src/Data/Taskell/Date/RelativeParser.hs
--- a/src/Data/Taskell/Date/RelativeParser.hs
+++ b/src/Data/Taskell/Date/RelativeParser.hs
@@ -11,9 +11,14 @@
 
 import Data.Time.Clock (addUTCTime)
 
-import Utility.Parser (lexeme)
+import Data.Taskell.Date.Types (Due (DueDate, DueTime))
+import Utility.Parser          (lexeme, only)
 
--- relative date parsing
+-- utility functions
+addP :: (Integral a) => Parser a -> UTCTime -> Parser UTCTime
+addP p now = ($ now) . addUTCTime . fromIntegral . sum <$> many1 p
+
+-- relative time parsing
 minute :: Int
 minute = 60
 
@@ -26,32 +31,37 @@
 week :: Int
 week = day * 7
 
-periodP :: Char -> Parser Int
-periodP c = lexeme decimal <* char c
+timePeriodP :: Char -> Parser Int
+timePeriodP c = lexeme decimal <* char c
 
 wP :: Parser Int
-wP = (* week) <$> periodP 'w'
+wP = (* week) <$> timePeriodP 'w'
 
 dP :: Parser Int
-dP = (* day) <$> periodP 'd'
+dP = (* day) <$> timePeriodP 'd'
 
 hP :: Parser Int
-hP = (* hour) <$> periodP 'h'
+hP = (* hour) <$> timePeriodP 'h'
 
 mP :: Parser Int
-mP = (* minute) <$> periodP 'm'
+mP = (* minute) <$> timePeriodP 'm'
 
 sP :: Parser Int
-sP = periodP 's'
+sP = timePeriodP 's'
 
-relativeP :: UTCTime -> Parser (Maybe UTCTime)
-relativeP now =
-    lexeme $ do
-        period <- fromIntegral . sum <$> many1 (sP <|> mP <|> hP <|> dP <|> wP)
-        pure $ Just (addUTCTime period now)
+timeP :: UTCTime -> Parser (Maybe Due)
+timeP now = only . lexeme $ Just . DueTime <$> addP (sP <|> mP <|> hP <|> dP <|> wP) now
 
-parseRelative :: UTCTime -> Text -> Either Text UTCTime
+-- relative date parsing
+dateP :: UTCTime -> Parser (Maybe Due)
+dateP now = only . lexeme $ Just . DueDate . utctDay <$> addP (dP <|> wP) now
+
+-- relative parser
+relativeP :: UTCTime -> Parser (Maybe Due)
+relativeP now = dateP now <|> timeP now
+
+parseRelative :: UTCTime -> Text -> Either Text Due
 parseRelative now text =
     case parseOnly (relativeP now) text of
-        Right (Just time) -> Right time
-        _                 -> Left "Could not parse date."
+        Right (Just due) -> Right due
+        _                -> Left "Could not parse date."
diff --git a/src/Data/Taskell/Date/Types.hs b/src/Data/Taskell/Date/Types.hs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Data/Taskell/Date/Types.hs
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE NoImplicitPrelude #-}
+
+module Data.Taskell.Date.Types
+    ( Deadline(..)
+    , Due(..)
+    ) where
+
+import ClassyPrelude
+
+data Due
+    = DueTime UTCTime
+    | DueDate Day
+    deriving (Show, Eq)
+
+instance Ord Due where
+    compare (DueTime t) (DueDate d)   = t `compare` UTCTime d 0
+    compare (DueDate d) (DueTime t)   = UTCTime d 0 `compare` t
+    compare (DueDate d1) (DueDate d2) = d1 `compare` d2
+    compare (DueTime t1) (DueTime t2) = t1 `compare` t2
+
+data Deadline
+    = Passed
+    | Today
+    | Tomorrow
+    | ThisWeek
+    | Plenty
+    deriving (Show, Eq)
diff --git a/src/IO/Config/Layout.hs b/src/IO/Config/Layout.hs
--- a/src/IO/Config/Layout.hs
+++ b/src/IO/Config/Layout.hs
@@ -7,29 +7,39 @@
 import IO.Config.Parser (noEmpty, parseText)
 
 data Config = Config
-    { columnWidth          :: Int
+    { padding              :: Int
+    , columnWidth          :: Int
     , columnPadding        :: Int
     , descriptionIndicator :: Text
+    , statusBar            :: Bool
     }
 
 defaultConfig :: Config
-defaultConfig = Config {columnWidth = 30, columnPadding = 3, descriptionIndicator = "≡"}
+defaultConfig =
+    Config
+    {padding = 1, columnWidth = 30, columnPadding = 3, descriptionIndicator = "≡", statusBar = True}
 
+paddingP :: SectionParser Int
+paddingP = fromMaybe (padding defaultConfig) <$> fieldMbOf "padding" number
+
+columnWidthP :: SectionParser Int
+columnWidthP = fromMaybe (columnWidth defaultConfig) <$> fieldMbOf "column_width" number
+
+columnPaddingP :: SectionParser Int
+columnPaddingP = fromMaybe (columnPadding defaultConfig) <$> fieldMbOf "column_padding" number
+
+descriptionIndicatorP :: SectionParser Text
+descriptionIndicatorP =
+    fromMaybe (descriptionIndicator defaultConfig) . (noEmpty . parseText =<<) <$>
+    fieldMb "description_indicator"
+
+statusBarP :: SectionParser Bool
+statusBarP = fieldFlagDef "statusbar" (statusBar defaultConfig)
+
 parser :: IniParser Config
 parser =
     fromMaybe defaultConfig <$>
     sectionMb
         "layout"
-        (do columnWidthCf <-
-                fromMaybe (columnWidth defaultConfig) <$> fieldMbOf "column_width" number
-            columnPaddingCf <-
-                fromMaybe (columnPadding defaultConfig) <$> fieldMbOf "column_padding" number
-            descriptionIndicatorCf <-
-                fromMaybe (descriptionIndicator defaultConfig) . (noEmpty . parseText =<<) <$>
-                fieldMb "description_indicator"
-            pure
-                Config
-                { columnWidth = columnWidthCf
-                , columnPadding = columnPaddingCf
-                , descriptionIndicator = descriptionIndicatorCf
-                })
+        (Config <$> paddingP <*> columnWidthP <*> columnPaddingP <*> descriptionIndicatorP <*>
+         statusBarP)
diff --git a/src/UI/Draw/Main.hs b/src/UI/Draw/Main.hs
--- a/src/UI/Draw/Main.hs
+++ b/src/UI/Draw/Main.hs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 import Data.Sequence (mapWithIndex)
 
 import Events.State.Types     (lists)
+import IO.Config.Layout       (padding, statusBar)
 import UI.Draw.Main.List      (renderList)
 import UI.Draw.Main.Search    (renderSearch)
 import UI.Draw.Main.StatusBar (renderStatusBar)
@@ -21,6 +22,12 @@
 renderMain = do
     ls <- (^. lists) <$> asks dsState
     listWidgets <- toList <$> sequence (renderList `mapWithIndex` ls)
-    let mainWidget = viewport RNLists Horizontal . padTopBottom 1 $ hBox listWidgets
-    statusBar <- renderStatusBar
-    renderSearch (mainWidget <=> statusBar)
+    pad <- padding <$> asks dsLayout
+    let mainWidget = viewport RNLists Horizontal . padTopBottom pad $ hBox listWidgets
+    showStatusBar <- statusBar <$> asks dsLayout
+    sb <- renderStatusBar
+    let sb' =
+            if showStatusBar
+                then sb
+                else emptyWidget
+    renderSearch (mainWidget <=> sb')
diff --git a/src/Utility/Parser.hs b/src/Utility/Parser.hs
--- a/src/Utility/Parser.hs
+++ b/src/Utility/Parser.hs
@@ -6,6 +6,9 @@
 
 import Data.Attoparsec.Text
 
+only :: Parser a -> Parser a
+only p = p <* endOfInput
+
 lexeme :: Parser a -> Parser a
 lexeme p = skipSpace *> p <* skipSpace
 
diff --git a/taskell.cabal b/taskell.cabal
--- a/taskell.cabal
+++ b/taskell.cabal
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 cabal-version: 1.12
 name: taskell
-version: 1.9.0.0
+version: 1.9.1.0
 license: BSD3
 license-file: LICENSE
 copyright: 2019 Mark Wales
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@
     hs-source-dirs: src
     other-modules:
         Config
+        Data.Taskell.Date.Types
         Events.Actions
         Events.Actions.Insert
         Events.Actions.Modal
diff --git a/templates/config.ini b/templates/config.ini
--- a/templates/config.ini
+++ b/templates/config.ini
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@
 filename = taskell.md
 
 [layout]
+padding = 1
 column_width = 30
 column_padding = 3
 description_indicator = "≡"
+statusbar = true
 
 [markdown]
 title = "##"
diff --git a/test/Data/Taskell/Date/RelativeParserTest.hs b/test/Data/Taskell/Date/RelativeParserTest.hs
--- a/test/Data/Taskell/Date/RelativeParserTest.hs
+++ b/test/Data/Taskell/Date/RelativeParserTest.hs
@@ -13,14 +13,18 @@
 import Data.Time.Calendar (fromGregorian)
 import Data.Time.Clock    (secondsToDiffTime)
 
+import Data.Taskell.Date                (Due (DueDate, DueTime))
 import Data.Taskell.Date.RelativeParser (parseRelative)
 
-toTime :: (Integer, Int, Int) -> Integer -> UTCTime
-toTime (y, m, d) seconds = UTCTime (fromGregorian y m d) (secondsToDiffTime seconds)
+toTime :: (Integer, Int, Int) -> Integer -> Due
+toTime (y, m, d) seconds = DueTime $ UTCTime (fromGregorian y m d) (secondsToDiffTime seconds)
 
+toDay :: (Integer, Int, Int) -> Due
+toDay (y, m, d) = DueDate $ fromGregorian y m d
+
 -- 08:53:03 18th December 2019
 time :: UTCTime
-time = toTime (2019, 12, 18) 31983
+time = UTCTime (fromGregorian 2019 12 18) 31983
 
 -- tests
 test_relative_parser :: TestTree
@@ -47,22 +51,13 @@
                    (parseRelative time "1h"))
         , testCase
               "Day"
-              (assertEqual
-                   "Adds a day"
-                   (Right (toTime (2019, 12, 19) 31983))
-                   (parseRelative time "1d"))
+              (assertEqual "Adds a day" (Right (toDay (2019, 12, 19))) (parseRelative time "1d"))
         , testCase
               "Days"
-              (assertEqual
-                   "Adds 29 days"
-                   (Right (toTime (2020, 1, 16) 31983))
-                   (parseRelative time "29 d"))
+              (assertEqual "Adds 29 days" (Right (toDay (2020, 1, 16))) (parseRelative time "29 d"))
         , testCase
               "Week"
-              (assertEqual
-                   "Adds a week"
-                   (Right (toTime (2019, 12, 25) 31983))
-                   (parseRelative time "1w"))
+              (assertEqual "Adds a week" (Right (toDay (2019, 12, 25))) (parseRelative time "1w "))
         , testCase
               "Mix"
               (assertEqual