diff --git a/src/main/java/envoy/client/LocalDB.java b/src/main/java/envoy/client/LocalDB.java
index 7db7200..b5e3971 100644
--- a/src/main/java/envoy/client/LocalDB.java
+++ b/src/main/java/envoy/client/LocalDB.java
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package envoy.client;
 
-import java.io.*;
+import java.io.File;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.time.Instant;
 import java.util.*;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ import javax.xml.datatype.DatatypeFactory;
 import envoy.client.event.EventBus;
 import envoy.client.event.MessageCreationEvent;
 import envoy.client.util.EnvoyLog;
+import envoy.client.util.SerializationUtils;
 import envoy.exception.EnvoyException;
 import envoy.schema.*;
 import envoy.schema.Message.Metadata.MessageState;
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ public class LocalDB {
 	private Sync	sync				= objectFactory.createSync();
 	private Sync	readMessages		= objectFactory.createSync();
 
-  private static final Logger logger = EnvoyLog.getLogger(LocalDB.class.getSimpleName());
+	private static final Logger logger = EnvoyLog.getLogger(LocalDB.class.getSimpleName());
 
 	/**
 	 * Constructs an empty local database. To serialize any chats to the file
@@ -83,10 +85,10 @@ public class LocalDB {
 	 */
 	public void save() throws IOException {
 		// Save users
-		write(usersFile, users);
+		SerializationUtils.write(usersFile, users);
 
 		// Save chats
-		write(localDBFile, chats);
+		SerializationUtils.write(localDBFile, chats);
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -95,8 +97,7 @@ public class LocalDB {
 	 * @throws EnvoyException if the loading process failed
 	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
 	 */
-	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-	public void loadUsers() throws EnvoyException { users = read(usersFile, HashMap.class); }
+	public void loadUsers() throws EnvoyException { users = SerializationUtils.read(usersFile, HashMap.class); }
 
 	/**
 	 * Loads all chats saved by Envoy for the client user.
@@ -104,31 +105,7 @@ public class LocalDB {
 	 * @throws EnvoyException if the loading process failed
 	 * @since Envoy v0.1-alpha
 	 */
-	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-	public void loadChats() throws EnvoyException { chats = read(localDBFile, ArrayList.class); }
-
-	private <T> T read(File file, Class<T> serializedClass) throws EnvoyException {
-		if (file == null) throw new NullPointerException("File is null");
-		try (ObjectInputStream in = new ObjectInputStream(new FileInputStream(file))) {
-			return serializedClass.cast(in.readObject());
-		} catch (ClassNotFoundException | IOException e) {
-			throw new EnvoyException("Could not load serialized object", e);
-		}
-	}
-
-	private <T> void write(File file, T obj) throws IOException {
-		if (file == null) throw new NullPointerException("File is null");
-		if (obj == null) throw new NullPointerException("Object to serialize is null");
-		if (!file.exists()) {
-			file.getParentFile().mkdirs();
-			file.createNewFile();
-		}
-		try (ObjectOutputStream out = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(file))) {
-			out.writeObject(obj);
-		} catch (IOException e) {
-			throw e;
-		}
-	}
+	public void loadChats() throws EnvoyException { chats = SerializationUtils.read(localDBFile, ArrayList.class); }
 
 	/**
 	 * Creates a {@link Message} object serializable to XML.
@@ -238,8 +215,7 @@ public class LocalDB {
 		// Updating UserStatus of all users in LocalDB
 		for (User user : returnSync.getUsers())
 			for (Chat chat : getChats())
-				if (user.getID() == chat.getRecipient().getID())
-					chat.getRecipient().setStatus(user.getStatus());
+				if (user.getID() == chat.getRecipient().getID()) chat.getRecipient().setStatus(user.getStatus());
 
 		sync.getMessages().clear();
 		sync.getUsers().clear();
@@ -301,7 +277,8 @@ public class LocalDB {
 	public void clearUnreadMessagesSync() { unreadMessagesSync.getMessages().clear(); }
 
 	/**
-	 * @return a {@code Map<String, User>} of all users stored locally with their user names as keys
+	 * @return a {@code Map<String, User>} of all users stored locally with their
+	 *         user names as keys
 	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
 	 */
 	public Map<String, User> getUsers() { return users; }
diff --git a/src/main/java/envoy/client/Settings.java b/src/main/java/envoy/client/Settings.java
index fc60877..e79596c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/envoy/client/Settings.java
+++ b/src/main/java/envoy/client/Settings.java
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import java.util.prefs.Preferences;
 
 import envoy.client.ui.Color;
 import envoy.client.ui.Theme;
+import envoy.client.util.SerializationUtils;
+import envoy.exception.EnvoyException;
 
 /**
  * Manages all application settings, which are different objects that can be
@@ -25,20 +27,18 @@ import envoy.client.ui.Theme;
 public class Settings {
 
 	// Actual settings accessible by the rest of the application
-	private boolean				enterToSend	= true;
-	private Map<String, Theme>	themes;
-	private String				currentTheme;
-	private boolean				currentOnCloseMode;
+	private Map<String, SettingsItem<?>>	items;
+	private Map<String, Theme>				themes;
 
 	/**
-	 * Required to save the settings.
+	 * Settings are stored in this file.
 	 */
-	private Preferences prefs = Preferences.userNodeForPackage(Settings.class);
+	private static final File settingsFile = new File(Config.getInstance().getHomeDirectory(), "settings.ser");
 
 	/**
 	 * User-defined themes are stored inside this file.
 	 */
-	private File themeFile = new File(Config.getInstance().getHomeDirectory(), "themes.ser");
+	private static final File themeFile = new File(Config.getInstance().getHomeDirectory(), "themes.ser");
 
 	/**
 	 * Singleton instance of this class.
@@ -51,30 +51,21 @@ public class Settings {
 	 *
 	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
 	 */
-	private Settings() { load(); }
-
-	/**
-	 * This method is used to ensure that there is only one instance of Settings.
-	 *
-	 * @return the instance of Settings
-	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
-	 */
-	public static Settings getInstance() { return settings; }
-
-	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
-	private void load() {
-		setEnterToSend(prefs.getBoolean("enterToSend", true));
-		setCurrentTheme(prefs.get("theme", "dark"));
-		setCurrentOnCloseMode(prefs.getBoolean("onCloseMode", true));
+	private Settings() {
+		// Load settings from settings file
+		try {
+			items = SerializationUtils.read(settingsFile, HashMap.class);
+		} catch (EnvoyException e) {
+			items = new HashMap<>();
+		}
+		supplementDefaults();
 
 		// Load themes from theme file
-		try (ObjectInputStream in = new ObjectInputStream(new FileInputStream(themeFile))) {
-			Object obj = in.readObject();
-			if (obj instanceof HashMap) themes = (Map<String, Theme>) obj;
-		} catch (IOException | ClassNotFoundException e) {
-			themes			= new HashMap<>();
-			currentTheme	= "dark";
-			e.printStackTrace();
+		try {
+			themes = SerializationUtils.read(themeFile, HashMap.class);
+		} catch (EnvoyException e1) {
+			themes = new HashMap<>();
+			setCurrentTheme("dark");
 		}
 
 		// Load standard themes not defined in the themes file
@@ -86,6 +77,14 @@ public class Settings {
 						Color.black, Color.black));
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * This method is used to ensure that there is only one instance of Settings.
+	 *
+	 * @return the instance of Settings
+	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
+	 */
+	public static Settings getInstance() { return settings; }
+
 	/**
 	 * Updates the preferences when the save button is clicked.
 	 *
@@ -94,15 +93,17 @@ public class Settings {
 	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
 	 */
 	public void save() throws IOException {
-		prefs.put("theme", currentTheme);
-		prefs.putBoolean("enterToSend", isEnterToSend());
-		prefs.putBoolean("onCloseMode", currentOnCloseMode);
+		// Save settings to settings file
+		SerializationUtils.write(settingsFile, items);
 
 		// Save themes to theme file
-		themeFile.createNewFile();
-		try (ObjectOutputStream out = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(themeFile))) {
-			out.writeObject(themes);
-		}
+		SerializationUtils.write(themeFile, themes);
+	}
+
+	private void supplementDefaults() {
+		items.putIfAbsent("enterToSend", new SettingsItem<>(true, "Enter to send", "Sends a message by pressing the enter key."));
+		items.putIfAbsent("onCloseMode", new SettingsItem<>(false, "Hide on close", "Hides the chat window when it is closed."));
+		items.putIfAbsent("currentTheme", new SettingsItem<>("dark", null));
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ public class Settings {
 	 * @return the name of the currently active {@link Theme}
 	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
 	 */
-	public String getCurrentTheme() { return currentTheme; }
+	public String getCurrentTheme() { return (String) items.get("currentTheme").get(); }
 
 	/**
 	 * Sets the name of the current {@link Theme}.
@@ -125,7 +126,8 @@ public class Settings {
 	 * @param themeName the name to set
 	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
 	 */
-	public void setCurrentTheme(String themeName) { currentTheme = themeName; }
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+	public void setCurrentTheme(String themeName) { ((SettingsItem<String>) items.get("currentTheme")).set(themeName); }
 
 	/**
 	 * @return {@code true}, if pressing the {@code Enter} key suffices to send a
@@ -133,7 +135,7 @@ public class Settings {
 	 *         {@code Control} key.
 	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
 	 */
-	public boolean isEnterToSend() { return enterToSend; }
+	public boolean isEnterToSend() { return (boolean) items.get("enterToSend").get(); }
 
 	/**
 	 * Changes the keystrokes performed by the user to send a message.
@@ -143,7 +145,23 @@ public class Settings {
 	 *                    conjunction with the {@code Control} key.
 	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
 	 */
-	public void setEnterToSend(boolean enterToSend) { this.enterToSend = enterToSend; }
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+	public void setEnterToSend(boolean enterToSend) { ((SettingsItem<Boolean>) items.get("enterToSend")).set(enterToSend); }
+
+	/**
+	 * @return the current on close mode.
+	 * @since Envoy v0.3-alpha
+	 */
+	public boolean getCurrentOnCloseMode() { return (boolean) items.get("onCloseMode").get(); }
+
+	/**
+	 * Sets the current on close mode.
+	 *
+	 * @param currentOnCloseMode the on close mode that should be set.
+	 * @since Envoy v0.3-alpha
+	 */
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+	public void setCurrentOnCloseMode(boolean currentOnCloseMode) { ((SettingsItem<Boolean>) items.get("onCloseMode")).set(currentOnCloseMode); }
 
 	/**
 	 * @return a {@code Map<String, Theme>} of all themes with their names as keys
@@ -158,18 +176,4 @@ public class Settings {
 	 * @since Envoy v0.2-alpha
 	 */
 	public void setThemes(Map<String, Theme> themes) { this.themes = themes; }
-
-	/**
-	 * @return the current on close mode.
-	 * @since Envoy v0.3-alpha
-	 */
-	public boolean getCurrentOnCloseMode() { return currentOnCloseMode; }
-
-	/**
-	 * Sets the current on close mode.
-	 *
-	 * @param currentOnCloseMode the on close mode that should be set.
-	 * @since Envoy v0.3-alpha
-	 */
-	public void setCurrentOnCloseMode(boolean currentOnCloseMode) { this.currentOnCloseMode = currentOnCloseMode; }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/envoy/client/SettingsItem.java b/src/main/java/envoy/client/SettingsItem.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..23da76a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/envoy/client/SettingsItem.java
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+package envoy.client;
+
+import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.Map;
+
+import javax.swing.JComponent;
+
+import envoy.client.ui.PrimaryToggleSwitch;
+
+/**
+ * Project: <strong>envoy-clientChess</strong><br>
+ * File: <strong>SettingsItem.java</strong><br>
+ * Created: <strong>23.12.2019</strong><br>
+ * 
+ * @author Kai S. K. Engelbart
+ */
+public class SettingsItem<T> implements Serializable {
+
+	private T							value;
+	private Class<? extends JComponent>	componentClass;
+	private String						userFriendlyName, description;
+
+	private static final Map<Class<?>, Class<? extends JComponent>> componentClasses = new HashMap<>();
+	
+	private static final long serialVersionUID = 2146837835556852218L;
+
+	static {
+		componentClasses.put(boolean.class, PrimaryToggleSwitch.class);
+	}
+
+	public SettingsItem(T value, String userFriendlyName, String description) {
+		this(value, componentClasses.get(value.getClass()));
+		this.userFriendlyName	= userFriendlyName;
+		this.description		= description;
+	}
+
+	public SettingsItem(T value, Class<? extends JComponent> componentClass) {
+		this.value			= value;
+		this.componentClass	= componentClass;
+	}
+
+	public JComponent getComponent() throws ReflectiveOperationException, SecurityException {
+		if (componentClass == null) throw new NullPointerException("Component class is null");
+		return componentClass.getConstructor(SettingsItem.class).newInstance(this);
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * @return the value
+	 */
+	public T get() { return value; }
+
+	/**
+	 * @param value the value to set
+	 */
+	public void set(T value) { this.value = value; }
+
+	/**
+	 * @return the componentClass
+	 */
+	public Class<? extends JComponent> getComponentClass() { return componentClass; }
+
+	/**
+	 * @param componentClass the componentClass to set
+	 */
+	public void setComponentClass(Class<? extends JComponent> componentClass) { this.componentClass = componentClass; }
+
+	/**
+	 * @return the userFriendlyName
+	 */
+	public String getUserFriendlyName() { return userFriendlyName; }
+
+	/**
+	 * @param userFriendlyName the userFriendlyName to set
+	 */
+	public void setUserFriendlyName(String userFriendlyName) { this.userFriendlyName = userFriendlyName; }
+
+	/**
+	 * @return the description
+	 */
+	public String getDescription() { return description; }
+
+	/**
+	 * @param description the description to set
+	 */
+	public void setDescription(String description) { this.description = description; }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/java/envoy/client/ui/settings/General.java b/src/main/java/envoy/client/ui/settings/General.java
index b128454..235cee9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/envoy/client/ui/settings/General.java
+++ b/src/main/java/envoy/client/ui/settings/General.java
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ import envoy.client.util.EnvoyLog;
 public class General extends SettingsPanel {
 
 	private Theme	theme;
-	private boolean	onCloseState;
-	private boolean	enterToSend;
+	private boolean	onCloseState	= Settings.getInstance().getCurrentOnCloseMode();
+	private boolean	enterToSend		= Settings.getInstance().isEnterToSend();
 
 	private PrimaryToggleSwitch	toggleSwitch;
 	private JTextPane			onCloseModeTextPane		= new JTextPane();
@@ -134,8 +134,8 @@ public class General extends SettingsPanel {
 		add(stateText, gbc_stateText);
 
 		descriptionText.setText(text);
-		descriptionText.setBackground(theme.getBackgroundColor().invert());
-		descriptionText.setForeground(theme.getUserNameColor());
+		descriptionText.setBackground(theme.getBackgroundColor());
+		descriptionText.setForeground(theme.getBackgroundColor().invert());
 		descriptionText.setEditable(false);
 
 		GridBagConstraints gbc_descriptionText = new GridBagConstraints();
diff --git a/src/main/java/envoy/client/util/SerializationUtils.java b/src/main/java/envoy/client/util/SerializationUtils.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5a4b842
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/envoy/client/util/SerializationUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package envoy.client.util;
+
+import java.io.*;
+
+import envoy.exception.EnvoyException;
+
+/**
+ * Project: <strong>envoy-clientChess</strong><br>
+ * File: <strong>SerializationUtils.javaEvent.java</strong><br>
+ * Created: <strong>23.12.2019</strong><br>
+ * 
+ * @author Kai S. K. Engelbart
+ */
+public class SerializationUtils {
+
+	private SerializationUtils() {}
+
+	public static <T extends Serializable> T read(File file, Class<T> serializedClass) throws EnvoyException {
+		if (file == null) throw new NullPointerException("File is null");
+		try (ObjectInputStream in = new ObjectInputStream(new FileInputStream(file))) {
+			return serializedClass.cast(in.readObject());
+		} catch (ClassNotFoundException | IOException e) {
+			throw new EnvoyException("Could not load serialized object", e);
+		}
+	}
+
+	public static void write(File file, Object obj) throws IOException {
+		if (file == null) throw new NullPointerException("File is null");
+		if (obj == null) throw new NullPointerException("Object to serialize is null");
+		if (!file.exists()) {
+			file.getParentFile().mkdirs();
+			file.createNewFile();
+		}
+		try (ObjectOutputStream out = new ObjectOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(file))) {
+			out.writeObject(obj);
+		}
+	}
+}