diff --git a/config/main.go b/config/main.go
index 8d6c2fd..f1ffd96 100644
--- a/config/main.go
+++ b/config/main.go
@@ -7,12 +7,36 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	Global     = NewDefaultConfig()
-	log        = logging.Init()
-	configChan = make(chan ConfigMsg)
+	Global = NewDefaultConfig()
+	log    = logging.Init()
 )
 
-type Config map[string]string
+type Config struct {
+	params  map[string]string
+	toggles map[string]bool
+	updates chan ConfigMsg
+}
+
+// Return param value
+func Get(k string) string {
+	if _, ok := Global.params[k]; ok == true {
+		return Global.params[k]
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// Return toggle value
+func GetToggle(k string) bool {
+	if _, ok := Global.toggles[k]; ok == true {
+		return Global.toggles[k]
+	}
+	return false
+}
+
+// Toggle a boolean option
+func Toggle(k string) {
+	Global.toggles[k] = Global.toggles[k] != true
+}
 
 type ConfigMsg struct {
 	key string
@@ -21,16 +45,7 @@ type ConfigMsg struct {
 
 func Update(k, v string) {
 	log.Noticef("config update: %s = %s", k, v)
-	configChan <- ConfigMsg{k, v}
-}
-
-// Toggle a boolean option
-func Toggle(k string) {
-	if Global[k] == "0" {
-		Global[k] = "1"
-	} else {
-		Global[k] = "0"
-	}
+	Global.updates <- ConfigMsg{k, v}
 }
 
 func NewDefaultConfig() Config {
@@ -38,17 +53,23 @@ func NewDefaultConfig() Config {
 	if docker == "" {
 		docker = "unix:///var/run/docker.sock"
 	}
-	config := Config{
-		"dockerHost":     docker,
-		"filterStr":      "",
-		"sortField":      "id",
-		"sortReverse":    "0",
-		"enableHeader":   "0",
-		"loggingEnabled": "1",
+
+	params := map[string]string{
+		"dockerHost": docker,
+		"filterStr":  "",
+		"sortField":  "id",
 	}
+
+	toggles := map[string]bool{
+		"sortReverse":    false,
+		"enableHeader":   false,
+		"loggingEnabled": true,
+	}
+
+	config := Config{params, toggles, make(chan ConfigMsg)}
 	go func() {
-		for m := range configChan {
-			config[m.key] = m.val
+		for m := range config.updates {
+			config.params[m.key] = m.val
 		}
 	}()
 	return config
diff --git a/containermap.go b/containermap.go
index ac59422..9cd767b 100644
--- a/containermap.go
+++ b/containermap.go
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import (
 
 func NewContainerMap() *ContainerMap {
 	// init docker client
-	client, err := docker.NewClient(config.Global["dockerHost"])
+	client, err := docker.NewClient(config.Get("dockerHost"))
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func (cm *ContainerMap) Del(ids ...string) {
 func (cm *ContainerMap) All() []*Container {
 	var containers Containers
 
-	filter := config.Global["filterStr"]
+	filter := config.Get("filterStr")
 	re := regexp.MustCompile(fmt.Sprintf(".*%s", filter))
 
 	for _, c := range cm.containers {
diff --git a/grid.go b/grid.go
index d43de21..39bad00 100644
--- a/grid.go
+++ b/grid.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func (g *Grid) redrawRows() {
 	ui.Clear()
 
 	// build layout
-	if config.Global["enableHeader"] == "1" {
+	if config.GetToggle("enableHeader") {
 		g.header.SetCount(len(g.containers))
 		ui.Body.AddRows(g.header.Row())
 	}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index e0e97f6..a23a69d 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ var log *logging.CTopLogger
 
 func main() {
 	log = logging.Init()
-	if config.Global["loggingEnabled"] == "1" {
+	if config.GetToggle("loggingEnabled") {
 		log.StartServer()
 	}
 	if err := ui.Init(); err != nil {
diff --git a/menus.go b/menus.go
index 75d6784..057ff89 100644
--- a/menus.go
+++ b/menus.go
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ func SortMenu() {
 	m.BorderFg = ui.ColorCyan
 
 	// set cursor position to current sort field
-	current := config.Global["sortField"]
+	current := config.Get("sortField")
 	for n, field := range m.Items {
 		if field == current {
 			m.CursorPos = n
diff --git a/sort.go b/sort.go
index e0c6f73..04ec050 100644
--- a/sort.go
+++ b/sort.go
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ type Containers []*Container
 func (a Containers) Len() int      { return len(a) }
 func (a Containers) Swap(i, j int) { a[i], a[j] = a[j], a[i] }
 func (a Containers) Less(i, j int) bool {
-	f := Sorters[config.Global["sortField"]]
-	if config.Global["sortReversed"] == "1" {
+	f := Sorters[config.Get("sortField")]
+	if config.GetToggle("sortReversed") {
 		return f(a[j], a[i])
 	}
 	return f(a[i], a[j])