diff --git a/src/app.rs b/src/app.rs
index bf1a151..2931c79 100644
--- a/src/app.rs
+++ b/src/app.rs
@@ -428,7 +428,7 @@ impl App {
         let mut children = Vec::new();
         let entity = self.tab_model.active();
         if let Some(tab) = self.tab_model.data::<Tab>(entity) {
-            if let Some(ref items) = tab.items_opt {
+            if let Some(items) = tab.items_opt() {
                 for item in items.iter() {
                     if item.selected {
                         children.push(item.property_view(tab.config.icon_sizes));
@@ -672,17 +672,8 @@ impl Application for App {
                 return Command::none();
             }
 
-            if let Some(ref mut items) = tab.items_opt {
-                let mut had_selection = false;
-                for item in items.iter_mut() {
-                    if item.selected {
-                        item.selected = false;
-                        had_selection = true;
-                    }
-                }
-                if had_selection {
-                    return Command::none();
-                }
+            if tab.select_none() {
+                return Command::none();
             }
         }
         self.core.window.show_context = false;
@@ -804,8 +795,8 @@ impl Application for App {
                 let mut paths = Vec::new();
                 let entity = entity_opt.unwrap_or_else(|| self.tab_model.active());
                 if let Some(tab) = self.tab_model.data_mut::<Tab>(entity) {
-                    if let Some(ref mut items) = tab.items_opt {
-                        for item in items.iter_mut() {
+                    if let Some(ref items) = tab.items_opt() {
+                        for item in items.iter() {
                             if item.selected {
                                 paths.push(item.path.clone());
                             }
@@ -894,7 +885,7 @@ impl Application for App {
                 let entity = entity_opt.unwrap_or_else(|| self.tab_model.active());
                 if let Some(tab) = self.tab_model.data_mut::<Tab>(entity) {
                     if let Location::Path(parent) = &tab.location {
-                        if let Some(items) = &tab.items_opt {
+                        if let Some(items) = tab.items_opt() {
                             let mut selected = Vec::new();
                             for item in items.iter() {
                                 if item.selected {
@@ -926,8 +917,8 @@ impl Application for App {
                 let mut paths = Vec::new();
                 let entity = entity_opt.unwrap_or_else(|| self.tab_model.active());
                 if let Some(tab) = self.tab_model.data_mut::<Tab>(entity) {
-                    if let Some(ref mut items) = tab.items_opt {
-                        for item in items.iter_mut() {
+                    if let Some(items) = tab.items_opt() {
+                        for item in items.iter() {
                             if item.selected {
                                 match &item.metadata {
                                     ItemMetadata::Trash { entry, .. } => {
@@ -948,15 +939,7 @@ impl Application for App {
             Message::SelectAll(entity_opt) => {
                 let entity = entity_opt.unwrap_or_else(|| self.tab_model.active());
                 if let Some(tab) = self.tab_model.data_mut::<Tab>(entity) {
-                    if let Some(ref mut items) = tab.items_opt {
-                        for item in items.iter_mut() {
-                            if !tab.config.show_hidden && item.hidden {
-                                continue;
-                            }
-                            item.selected = true;
-                            item.click_time = None;
-                        }
-                    }
+                    tab.select_all();
                 }
             }
             Message::SystemThemeModeChange(_theme_mode) => {
@@ -1093,7 +1076,7 @@ impl Application for App {
             }
             Message::TabRescan(entity, items) => match self.tab_model.data_mut::<Tab>(entity) {
                 Some(tab) => {
-                    tab.items_opt = Some(items);
+                    tab.set_items(items);
                 }
                 _ => (),
             },
@@ -1680,13 +1663,10 @@ pub(crate) mod test_utils {
         let location = Location::Path(path.to_owned());
         let items = location.scan(IconSizes::default());
         let mut tab = Tab::new(location, TabConfig::default());
-        tab.items_opt = Some(items);
+        tab.set_items(items);
 
         // Ensure correct number of directories as a sanity check
-        let items = tab
-            .items_opt
-            .as_deref()
-            .expect("tab should be populated with Items");
+        let items = tab.items_opt().expect("tab should be populated with Items");
         assert_eq!(NUM_DIRS, items.len());
 
         Ok((fs, tab))
@@ -1748,17 +1728,14 @@ pub(crate) mod test_utils {
         // Check lengths.
         // `items_opt` is optional and the directory at `path` may have zero entries
         // Therefore, this doesn't panic if `items_opt` is None
-        let items_len = tab
-            .items_opt
-            .as_ref()
-            .map(|items| items.len())
-            .unwrap_or_default();
+        let items_len = tab.items_opt().map(|items| items.len()).unwrap_or_default();
         assert_eq!(entries.len(), items_len);
 
+        let empty = Vec::new();
         assert!(
             entries
                 .into_iter()
-                .zip(tab.items_opt.clone().unwrap_or_default())
+                .zip(tab.items_opt().clone().unwrap_or(&empty))
                 .all(|(a, b)| eq_path_item(&a, &b)),
             "Path ({}) and Tab path ({}) don't have equal contents",
             path.display(),
diff --git a/src/dialog.rs b/src/dialog.rs
index 57e7bc2..c76d34a 100644
--- a/src/dialog.rs
+++ b/src/dialog.rs
@@ -451,7 +451,7 @@ impl Application for App {
                 }
 
                 // Select based on filename
-                if let Some(items) = &mut self.tab.items_opt {
+                if let Some(items) = self.tab.items_opt_mut() {
                     for item in items.iter_mut() {
                         item.selected = item.name == new_filename;
                     }
@@ -488,8 +488,8 @@ impl Application for App {
             },
             Message::Open => {
                 let mut paths = Vec::new();
-                if let Some(ref mut items) = self.tab.items_opt {
-                    for item in items.iter_mut() {
+                if let Some(items) = self.tab.items_opt() {
+                    for item in items.iter() {
                         if item.selected {
                             paths.push(item.path.clone());
                         }
@@ -563,7 +563,7 @@ impl Application for App {
                 // Update filename box when anything is selected
                 if let DialogKind::SaveFile { filename } = &mut self.flags.kind {
                     if let Some(click_i) = click_i_opt {
-                        if let Some(items) = &self.tab.items_opt {
+                        if let Some(items) = self.tab.items_opt() {
                             if let Some(item) = items.get(click_i) {
                                 if item.selected && !item.path.is_dir() {
                                     *filename = item.name.clone();
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ impl Application for App {
                     }
                 }
 
-                self.tab.items_opt = Some(items);
+                self.tab.set_items(items);
 
                 // Reset focus on location change
                 return widget::text_input::focus(self.filename_id.clone());
diff --git a/src/menu.rs b/src/menu.rs
index bfe02c3..e71fddc 100644
--- a/src/menu.rs
+++ b/src/menu.rs
@@ -58,8 +58,7 @@ pub fn context_menu<'a>(
     };
 
     let selected = tab
-        .items_opt
-        .as_ref()
+        .items_opt()
         .map_or(0, |items| items.iter().filter(|x| x.selected).count());
 
     let mut children: Vec<Element<_>> = Vec::new();
diff --git a/src/tab.rs b/src/tab.rs
index 9ca3f83..de497f5 100644
--- a/src/tab.rs
+++ b/src/tab.rs
@@ -552,7 +552,6 @@ pub enum HeadingOptions {
 pub struct Tab {
     pub location: Location,
     pub context_menu: Option<Point>,
-    pub items_opt: Option<Vec<Item>>,
     pub view: View,
     pub dialog: Option<DialogKind>,
     pub scroll_opt: Option<Viewport>,
@@ -562,6 +561,7 @@ pub struct Tab {
     pub history_i: usize,
     pub history: Vec<Location>,
     pub config: TabConfig,
+    items_opt: Option<Vec<Item>>,
     sort_name: HeadingOptions,
     sort_direction: bool,
 }
@@ -574,7 +574,6 @@ impl Tab {
         Self {
             location,
             context_menu: None,
-            items_opt: None,
             view: View::Grid,
             dialog: None,
             scroll_opt: None,
@@ -584,6 +583,7 @@ impl Tab {
             history_i: 0,
             history,
             config,
+            items_opt: None,
             sort_name,
             sort_direction,
         }
@@ -601,6 +601,44 @@ impl Tab {
         }
     }
 
+    pub fn items_opt(&self) -> Option<&Vec<Item>> {
+        self.items_opt.as_ref()
+    }
+
+    pub fn items_opt_mut(&mut self) -> Option<&mut Vec<Item>> {
+        self.items_opt.as_mut()
+    }
+
+    pub fn set_items(&mut self, items: Vec<Item>) {
+        self.items_opt = Some(items);
+    }
+
+    pub fn select_all(&mut self) {
+        if let Some(ref mut items) = self.items_opt {
+            for item in items.iter_mut() {
+                if !self.config.show_hidden && item.hidden {
+                    item.selected = false;
+                    continue;
+                }
+                item.selected = true;
+                item.click_time = None;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn select_none(&mut self) -> bool {
+        let mut had_selection = false;
+        if let Some(ref mut items) = self.items_opt {
+            for item in items.iter_mut() {
+                if item.selected {
+                    item.selected = false;
+                    had_selection = true;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        had_selection
+    }
+
     fn select_by_drag(&mut self, rect: Rectangle) {
         let items = match &mut self.items_opt {
             Some(some) => some,