diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 70ba6fd..2d0a726 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ CharmBoard is forum software written in Perl, inspired by AcmlmBoard/its derivat
 
 - Perl5
 - `Mojolicious` ([website](https://www.mojolicious.org/), [metacpan](https://metacpan.org/pod/Mojolicious))
+  - `Mojolicious::Plugin::Model`
   - `Mojolicious::Plugin::Renderer::WithoutCache` — only needed in dev environment
 - `DBI`
   - `DBIx::Class`
diff --git a/lib/CharmBoard.pm b/lib/CharmBoard.pm
index 2230659..f6d0f8f 100644
--- a/lib/CharmBoard.pm
+++ b/lib/CharmBoard.pm
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ sub startup {
 
   # load plugins that require no additional conf
   $self->plugin('TagHelpers');
+  $self->plugin('Model', {namespaces => ['CharmBoard::Model']});
 
   # load configuration from config file
   my $config =
diff --git a/lib/CharmBoard/Controller/Index.pm b/lib/CharmBoard/Controller/Index.pm
index 8658f9a..a36a47a 100644
--- a/lib/CharmBoard/Controller/Index.pm
+++ b/lib/CharmBoard/Controller/Index.pm
@@ -12,34 +12,9 @@ use Tree::Simple;
 sub index {
   my $self = shift;
 
-  # fetch a list of all categories
-  my @all_cat = $self->schema->resultset('Categories')->fetch_all;
-
-  # create a Tree::Simple object that will contain the list
-  # of categories and the subforums that belong to them
-  my $tree = Tree::Simple->new("subf_list", Tree::Simple->ROOT);
-
-  my (@fetch_subf, $cat_branch);
-  foreach my $iter_cat (@all_cat) {
-
-    # create branch of subf_list for the current category
-    $cat_branch = Tree::Simple->new($iter_cat, $tree);
-
-    # fetch all subforums that belong to this category
-    @fetch_subf =
-        $self->schema->resultset('Subforums')
-        ->fetch_by_cat($iter_cat);
-
-    # add each fetched subforum as children of the branch
-    # for the current category
-    foreach my $iter_subf (@fetch_subf) {
-      Tree::Simple->new($iter_subf, $cat_branch)
-    }
-  }
-
   $self->render(
     template      => 'index',
-    category_tree => $tree
+    category_tree => $self->model('forums')->list_full
   )
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/CharmBoard/Model/Forums.pm b/lib/CharmBoard/Model/Forums.pm
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0877661
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/CharmBoard/Model/Forums.pm
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+package CharmBoard::Model::Forums;
+
+use utf8;
+use strict;
+use warnings;
+use experimental qw(try);
+use feature ':5.20';
+
+use Mojo::Base 'MojoX::Model';
+use Tree::Simple;
+
+sub list_full {
+  my $self = shift;
+  # fetch a list of all categories
+  my @_all_cat = $self->{app}->schema->resultset('Categories')->fetch_all;
+
+  # create a Tree::Simple object that will contain the list
+  # of categories and the subforums that belong to them
+  my $_tree = Tree::Simple->new("subf_list", Tree::Simple->ROOT);
+
+  my (@_fetch_subf, $_cat_branch);
+  foreach my $_iter_cat (@_all_cat) {
+
+    # create branch of subf_list for the current category
+    $_cat_branch = Tree::Simple->new($_iter_cat, $_tree);
+
+    # fetch all subforums that belong to this category
+    @_fetch_subf =
+        $self->{app}->schema->resultset('Subforums')
+        ->fetch_by_cat($_iter_cat);
+
+    # add each fetched subforum as children of the branch
+    # for the current category
+    foreach my $_iter_subf (@_fetch_subf) {
+      Tree::Simple->new($_iter_subf, $_cat_branch)
+    }
+  }
+
+  return $_tree;
+}
+
+1;
+__END__
\ No newline at end of file