diff --git a/helpers/lbryApi.js b/helpers/lbryApi.js
index 6170d83e..4c6ae364 100644
--- a/helpers/lbryApi.js
+++ b/helpers/lbryApi.js
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ function getClaimWithUri(uri, resolve, reject){
 		*/
 		resolve(getUriResponse.data.result.download_path);
 	}).catch(function(getUriError){
-		console.log(">> 'get' error:", getUriError.response.data);
+		console.log(">> 'get' error:", getUriError);
 		// reject the promise with an error message
-		reject(getUriError.response.data.error.message);
+		reject(getUriError);
 		return;
 	});
 }
@@ -82,16 +82,10 @@ module.exports = {
 				console.log(">> 'publish' success");
 				// return the claim we got 
 				resolve(response.data);
-				return;
 			}).catch(function(error){
 				// receive response from LBRY
 				console.log(">> 'publish' error");
-				if (error.response.data.error){
-					reject(error.response.data.error);
-				} else {
-					reject(error);
-				}
-				return;
+				reject(error);
 			})
 		})
 		return deferred;
@@ -134,16 +128,8 @@ module.exports = {
 				getClaimWithUri(freePublicClaimUri, resolve, reject);
 			})
 			.catch(function(error){
-				console.log(">> 'claim_list' error:", error);
-				// reject the promise with an approriate message
-				if (error.code === "ECONNREFUSED"){
-					reject("Connection refused.  The daemon may not be running.")
-				} else if (error.response.data.error) {
-					reject(error.response.data.error);
-				} else {
-					reject(error);
-				};
-				return;
+				console.log(">> 'claim_list' error.");
+				reject(error);
 			});
 		});
 		// 3. return the promise
@@ -200,14 +186,8 @@ module.exports = {
 				*/
 				resolve(orderedPublicClaims); 
 			}).catch(function(error){
-				console.log(">> 'claim_list' error:", error);
-				if (error.code === "ECONNREFUSED"){
-					reject("Connection refused.  The daemon may not be running.")
-				} else if (error.response.data.error) {
-					reject(error.response.data.error);
-				} else {
-					reject(error);
-				};
+				console.log(">> 'claim_list' error");
+				reject(error);
 			})
 		});
 		return deferred;
diff --git a/helpers/routeHelpers.js b/helpers/routeHelpers.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/helpers/socketHelpers.js b/helpers/socketHelpers.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b08dd941
--- /dev/null
+++ b/helpers/socketHelpers.js
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+//var fs = require('fs');
+var lbryApi = require('../helpers/lbryApi.js');
+
+function handlePublishError(error) {
+	if (error.code === "ECONNREFUSED"){
+		return "Connection refused.  The daemon may not be running.";
+	} else if (error.response.data.error) {
+		return error.response.data.error;
+	} else {
+		return error;
+	};
+}
+function createPublishParams(name, filepath, license, nsfw) {
+	var publishParams = {
+		"name": name,
+		"file_path": filepath,
+		"bid": 0.1,
+		"metadata":  {
+			"description": name + " published via spee.ch",
+			"title": name,
+			"author": "spee.ch",
+			"language": "en",
+			"license": license,
+			"nsfw": (nsfw.toLowerCase() === "true")
+		}
+	};
+	return publishParams;
+}
+function deleteTemporaryFile(filepath, name){
+	fs.unlink(filepath, function(err){
+		if (err) throw err;
+		console.log('successfully deleted ' + name);
+	});
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+	publish: function(name, filepath, license, nsfw, socket) {
+		// update the client
+		socket.emit("publish-status", "Your image is being published (this might take a second)...");
+		// create the publish object
+		var publishParams = createPublishParams(name, filepath, license, nsfw);
+		// get a promise to publish
+		lbryApi.publishClaim(publishParams)
+		.then(function(data){
+			console.log("publish promise success. Tx info:", data)
+			socket.emit("publish-complete", data);
+			deleteTemporaryFile(filepath, name);
+		})
+		.catch(function(error){
+			console.log("error:", error);
+			socket.emit("publish-status", handlePublishError(error));
+			deleteTemporaryFile(filepath, name);
+		});
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/public/favicon.ico b/public/assets/img/favicon.ico
similarity index 100%
rename from public/favicon.ico
rename to public/assets/img/favicon.ico
diff --git a/public/assets/js/upload.js b/public/assets/js/upload.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..139597f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/assets/js/upload.js
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+
+
diff --git a/public/eagle.jpg b/public/eagle.jpg
deleted file mode 100644
index cb736738..00000000
Binary files a/public/eagle.jpg and /dev/null differ
diff --git a/public/index.html b/public/index.html
index 579fc672..44d5a6c5 100644
--- a/public/index.html
+++ b/public/index.html
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
 <body>
 	<h1>spee.ch</h1>
 	<p>spee.ch is a single-serving site that reads and publishes images to and from the <a href="https://lbry.io">LBRY</a> blockchain.</p>
-	<h3>Examples:</h3>
+	
+	<h2>Examples:</h2>
 	<ul>
 		<li><a href="/coconuts">spee.ch/coconuts</a></li>
 		<li><a href="/wood">spee.ch/wood</a></li>
@@ -17,7 +18,8 @@
 		<li><a href="/doitlive/all">spee.ch/doitlive/all</a></li>
 		<li><a href="/doitlive/ca3023187e901df9e9aabd95d6ae09b6cc69b3f0">spee.ch/doitlive/ca3023187e901df9e9aabd95d6ae09b6cc69b3f0</a></li>
 	</ul>
-	<h3>Publish Your Own</h3>
+
+	<h2>Publish Your Own</h2>
 	<div id="publish">
 		<form id="publish-form" action="" method="" enctype="multipart/form-data">
 			<input type="file"  id="siofu_input" name="file" accept="video/*,image/*" onchange="previewFile()" enctype="multipart/form-data"/>
@@ -38,15 +40,14 @@
 			<br/>
 			<button id="publish-submit">Submit</button>
 		</form>
-		<p id="upload-status"></p>
 	</div>
 	
-	<h3>Help Wanted!</h3>
+	<h2>Help Wanted!</h2>
 	<p>If you would like to help make spee.ch amazing, join our slack channel.</p>
 	<p>We are currently in need of a designer to help with styling spee.ch's front end, but all help is welcome!</p>
 	
-	<h3>Help</h3>
-	<h4>Site Navigation</h4>
+	<h2>Documentation</h2>
+	<h3>Site Navigation</h3>
 	<ul>
 		<li><strong><a href="/">spee.ch</a></strong>.
 			<ul>
@@ -72,7 +73,7 @@
 			</ul>
 		</li>
 	</ul>
-	<h4>API</h4>
+	<h3>API</h3>
 	<p>Note: these are being used for testing durring spee.ch development and may not be maintained</p>
 	<ul>		
 		<li>A GET request to <strong>spee.ch/claim_list/&ltthe name of the claim&gt</strong> 
@@ -86,10 +87,29 @@
 	<script src="/socket.io/socket.io.js"></script>
 	<script src="/siofu/client.js"></script>
 	<script>
-		// define global variables
 		var socket = io();
 		var uploader = new SocketIOFileUpload(socket);
-		// function to handle image preview
+
+		function createProgressBar(element, size){
+			var x = 1;
+			var adder = 1;
+			function addOne(){
+				var bars = '<h3>|';
+				for (var i = 0; i < x; i++){
+					bars += ' | ';
+				}
+				bars += '</h3>';
+				element.innerHTML = bars;
+				if (x === size){
+					adder = -1;
+				} else if ( x === 0){
+					adder = 1;
+				}
+				x += adder;
+			};
+			setInterval(addOne, 300);
+		}
+
 		function previewFile(){
 			var preview = document.querySelector('img'); //selects the query named img
 			var claimName = document.querySelector('input[name=name]'); 
@@ -106,19 +126,17 @@
 				preview.src = "";
 			};
 		}
-		// helper function to update status
+
 		function updatePublishStatus(msg){
-			document.getElementById("publish").innerHTML = msg;
+			document.getElementById("publish-status").innerHTML = msg;
 		}
-		// call the previewFile function
-		previewFile();
-		// prevent default on the submit button
+
+		uploader.listenOnSubmit(document.getElementById("publish-submit"), document.getElementById("siofu_input"));
+
 		document.getElementById("publish-submit").addEventListener("click", function(event){
 			event.preventDefault();
 		})
-		// upload through the socket
-		uploader.listenOnSubmit(document.getElementById("publish-submit"), document.getElementById("siofu_input"));
-		// add listeners to the uploader
+
 		uploader.addEventListener("start", function(event){
 			var name = document.getElementById('publish-name').value;
 			var license = document.getElementById('publish-license').value;
@@ -127,12 +145,17 @@
 			event.file.meta.name = name;
 			event.file.meta.license = license;
 			event.file.meta.nsfw = nsfw;
+			// set the html of the publish area
+			document.getElementById("publish").innerHTML = '<div id="publish-status"></div><div id="progress-bar"></div>';
+			// start the progress bar
+			createProgressBar(document.getElementById("progress-bar"), 12);
 		});
+
 		uploader.addEventListener("progress", function(event){
 			var percent = event.bytesLoaded / event.file.size * 100;
 			updatePublishStatus("File is " + percent.toFixed(2) + "% loaded to the server");
 		})
-		// add listener for publish status updates
+
 		socket.on("publish-status", function(msg){
 			updatePublishStatus(msg);
 		})
@@ -145,7 +168,7 @@
 			publishResults += `<p><a href="/">Reload the page to publish another (fancy button coming soon)</a></p>`;
 			document.getElementById("publish").innerHTML = publishResults; 
 		})
-		
+	
 	</script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/routes/html-routes.js b/routes/html-routes.js
index 6253e54f..0c191a2b 100644
--- a/routes/html-routes.js
+++ b/routes/html-routes.js
@@ -6,36 +6,37 @@ var multipartMiddleware = multipart();
 var lbryApi = require('../helpers/lbryApi.js');
 var queueApi = require('../helpers/queueApi.js');
 
+
+function handleRequestError(error, res) {
+	if ((error === "NO_CLAIMS") || (error === "NO_FREE_PUBLIC_CLAIMS")){
+		res.status(307).sendFile(path.join(__dirname, '../public', 'noClaims.html'));
+	} else if (error === "Invalid URI") {
+		res.status(400).sendFile(path.join(__dirname, '../public', 'invalidUri.html'));
+	} else {
+		res.status(400).send(error);
+	};
+}
+
 // routes to export
 module.exports = function(app){
 	// route to fetch one free public claim 
 	app.get("/favicon.ico", function(req, res){
 		console.log(" >> GET request on favicon.ico");
-		res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, '../public', 'favicon.ico'));
+		res.sendFile(path.join(__dirname, '../public/assets/img', 'favicon.ico'));
 	});
 	// route to fetch one free public claim 
 	app.get("/:name/all", function(req, res){
-    	var name = req.params.name;
-		console.log(">> GET request on /" + name + " (all)");
+		console.log(">> GET request on /" + req.params.name + " (all)");
 		// create promise
-		var promise = lbryApi.getAllClaims(name);
-		// handle the promise resolve
-		promise.then(function(orderedFreePublicClaims){
-			console.log("/name/all promise success.")
+		lbryApi.getAllClaims(req.params.name)
+		.then(function(orderedFreePublicClaims){
+			console.log("/:name/all success.")
 			res.status(200).send(orderedFreePublicClaims); 
 			return;
 		})
-		// handle the promise rejection
 		.catch(function(error){
-			console.log("/name/all/ promise error:", error);
-			// handle the error
-			if ((error === "NO_CLAIMS") || (error === "NO_FREE_PUBLIC_CLAIMS")){
-				res.status(307).sendFile(path.join(__dirname, '../public', 'noClaims.html'));
-				return;
-			} else {
-				res.status(400).send(error);
-				return;
-			};
+			console.log("/:name/all error:", error);
+			handleRequestError(error, res);
 		})
 	});
 	// route to fetch one free public claim 
@@ -43,48 +44,28 @@ module.exports = function(app){
 		var uri = req.params.name + "#" + req.params.claim_id;
 		console.log(">> GET request on /" + uri);
 		// create promise
-		var promise = lbryApi.getClaimBasedOnUri(uri);
-		// handle the promise resolve
-		promise.then(function(filePath){
-			console.log("/name/claim_id promise success - filepath:", filePath)
+		lbryApi.getClaimBasedOnUri(uri)
+		.then(function(filePath){
+			console.log("/:name/:claim_id success.");
 			res.status(200).sendFile(filePath);
-			return;
 		})
-		// handle the promise rejection
 		.catch(function(error){
-			console.log("/name/claim_id/ promise error:", error)
-			// handle the error
-			if (error === "Invalid URI") {
-				res.status(400).sendFile(path.join(__dirname, '../public', 'invalidUri.html'));
-				return;
-			} else {
-				res.status(400).send(error);
-				return;
-			};
+			console.log("/:name/:claim_id error.")
+			handleRequestError(error, res);
 		});
 	});
 
 	// route to fetch one free public claim 
 	app.get("/:name", function(req, res){
-		var name = req.params.name;
-		console.log(">> GET request on /" + name);
+		console.log(">> GET request on /" + req.params.name);
 		// create promise
-		var promise = lbryApi.getClaimBasedOnNameOnly(name);
-		// handle the promise resolve
-		promise.then(function(filePath){
-			console.log("/name promise success - filepath:", filePath)
+		lbryApi.getClaimBasedOnNameOnly(req.params.name)
+		.then(function(filePath){
+			console.log("/:name success.")
 			res.status(200).sendFile(filePath);
-			return;
-		})
-		// handle the promise rejection
-		.catch(function(error){
-			console.log("/name/ promise error:", error);
-			// handle the error
-			if ((error === "NO_CLAIMS") || (error === "NO_FREE_PUBLIC_CLAIMS")){
-				res.status(307).sendFile(path.join(__dirname, '../public', 'noClaims.html'));
-				return;
-			};
-			res.status(400).send(error);
+		}).catch(function(error){
+			console.log("/:name error.");
+			handleRequestError(error, res);
 		});
 	});
 
diff --git a/routes/sockets-routes.js b/routes/sockets-routes.js
index edd1d4a9..6cf7c9d8 100644
--- a/routes/sockets-routes.js
+++ b/routes/sockets-routes.js
@@ -6,56 +6,14 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
 	var lbryApi = require('../helpers/lbryApi.js');
 	var queueApi = require('../helpers/queueApi.js');
 	var siofu = require("socketio-file-upload");
-
-	// functions to create a publishing object
-	function createPublishParams(name, filepath, license, nsfw){
-		var publishParams = {
-			"name": name,
-			"file_path": filepath,
-			"bid": 0.1,
-			"metadata":  {
-				"description": name + " published via spee.ch",
-				"title": name,
-				"author": "spee.ch",
-				"language": "en",
-				"license": license,
-				"nsfw": (nsfw.toLowerCase() === "true")
-			}
-		};
-		return publishParams;
-	}
-	// publish an image to lbry 
-	function publish(name, filepath, license, nsfw, socket){
-		// update the client
-		socket.emit("publish-status", "Your image is being published (this might take a second)...");
-		// create the publish object
-		var publishParams = createPublishParams(name, filepath, license, nsfw);
-		// get a promise to publish
-		var promise = lbryApi.publishClaim(publishParams);
-		// handle promise
-		promise.then(function(data){
-			console.log("publish promise success. Tx info:", data)
-			socket.emit("publish-complete", data);
-			/* 
-				note: remember to delete the local file
-			*/
-		})
-		.catch(function(error){
-			console.log("error:", error);
-			socket.emit("publish-status", "publish failed");
-			/* 
-				note: remember to delete the local file
-			*/
-		});
-	};
+	var socketHelpers = require('../helpers/socketHelpers.js');
 
 	io.on('connection', function(socket){
 		console.log('a user connected');
-		// listener for uploader
+		// attach upload listeners
 		var uploader = new siofu();
 		uploader.dir = path.join(__dirname, '../../Uploads');
 		uploader.listen(socket);
-		// attach upload listeners
 		uploader.on("error", function(event){
 			console.log("an error occured while uploading", event.error);
 			socket.emit("publish-status", event.error)
@@ -64,12 +22,11 @@ module.exports = function(app) {
 			console.log("saved " + event.file.name);
 			if (event.file.success){
 				socket.emit("publish-status", "file upload successfully completed");
-				publish(event.file.meta.name, event.file.pathName, event.file.meta.license,event.file.meta.nsfw, socket)
+				socketHelpers.publish(event.file.meta.name, event.file.pathName, event.file.meta.license,event.file.meta.nsfw, socket)
 			} else {
 				socket.emit("publish-status", "file saved, but with errors")
 			};
 		});
-
 		// handle disconnect
 		socket.on('disconnect', function(){
 			console.log('user disconnected');