diff --git a/machines/gerd.nix b/machines/gerd.nix
index 3a5adc1..3d23141 100644
--- a/machines/gerd.nix
+++ b/machines/gerd.nix
@@ -25,8 +25,7 @@
     ./gerd/services/searx.nix
     ./gerd/services/miniflux.nix
 
-    ./gerd/services/element.nix
-    ./gerd/services/matrix-synapse.nix
+    ./gerd/services/matrix
 
     ./gerd/services/uptime-kuma.nix
 
diff --git a/machines/gerd/services/matrix/default.nix b/machines/gerd/services/matrix/default.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f76b41f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/machines/gerd/services/matrix/default.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+{
+  imports = [
+    ./matrix-synapse.nix
+    ./element.nix
+    ./housecleaning.nix
+  ];
+}
diff --git a/machines/gerd/services/element.nix b/machines/gerd/services/matrix/element.nix
similarity index 100%
rename from machines/gerd/services/element.nix
rename to machines/gerd/services/matrix/element.nix
diff --git a/machines/gerd/services/matrix/housecleaning.nix b/machines/gerd/services/matrix/housecleaning.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7285ac2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/machines/gerd/services/matrix/housecleaning.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+{ config, pkgs, ... }:
+
+{
+  # delete empty directories 
+  # - https://github.com/element-hq/synapse/issues/7690
+  # - https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/7690
+  systemd.services.matrix-synapse.preStart =
+    ''${pkgs.findutils}/bin/find ${config.services.matrix-synapse.dataDir}/media_store -empty -type d -delete'';
+
+  systemd.timers."matrix-synapse-housecleaning-empty-dirs" = {
+    wantedBy = [ "timers.target" ];
+    timerConfig = {
+      OnCalendar = "Mon *-*-* 04:00:00";
+      Unit = config.systemd.services.matrix-synapse.name;
+    };
+  };
+
+  # vacuum database
+  systemd.services."matrix-synapse-psql-vacuum" = let
+    psqlUser = config.systemd.services.postgresql.serviceConfig.user;
+    dbName = config.services.matrix-synapse.settings.database.args.database;
+  in {
+    serviceConfig = {
+      User = psqlUser;
+      ExecStart = pkgs.writeScript "matrix-synapse-psql-vacuum.sh" ''
+        ${config.services.postgresql.package}/bin/psql -d ${dbName} -c "vacuum full"
+      '';
+    };
+  };
+
+  systemd.timers."matrix-synapse-housecleaning-vacuum-db" = {
+    wantedBy = [ "timers.target" ];
+    timerConfig = {
+      OnCalendar = "Mon *-*-* 04:00:00";
+      Unit = config.systemd.services.matrix-synapse-psql-vacuum.name;
+    };
+  };
+}
diff --git a/machines/gerd/services/matrix-synapse.nix b/machines/gerd/services/matrix/matrix-synapse.nix
similarity index 97%
rename from machines/gerd/services/matrix-synapse.nix
rename to machines/gerd/services/matrix/matrix-synapse.nix
index acdb7e1..90e4fbf 100644
--- a/machines/gerd/services/matrix-synapse.nix
+++ b/machines/gerd/services/matrix/matrix-synapse.nix
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@ in {
         allowed_lifetime_min = "1d";
         allowed_lifetime_max = "1y";
       };
+
+
+      # automatically forget room on leave/kick/ban, and
+      # purge from db after X time
+     forget_rooms_on_leave = true;
+     forgotten_room_retention_period = "28d";
     };
   };