diff --git a/config.nix b/config.nix
index 5f6688d..6c87c1d 100644
--- a/config.nix
+++ b/config.nix
@@ -63,5 +63,10 @@ lib: {
         "SUPER, slash, exec, $passwordManager"
       ];
     };
+    exclude_packages = lib.mkOption {
+      type = lib.types.listOf lib.types.package;
+      default = [];
+      description = "Packages to exclude from the default system packages";
+    };
   };
 }
diff --git a/modules/home-manager/default.nix b/modules/home-manager/default.nix
index 7e910e6..c4e6a13 100644
--- a/modules/home-manager/default.nix
+++ b/modules/home-manager/default.nix
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 inputs: {
   config,
   pkgs,
+  lib,
   ...
 }: let
-  packages = import ../packages.nix {inherit pkgs;};
+  packages = import ../packages.nix {inherit pkgs lib; exclude_packages = config.omarchy.exclude_packages;};
 
   themes = import ../themes.nix;
   selectedTheme = themes.${config.omarchy.theme};
diff --git a/modules/nixos/system.nix b/modules/nixos/system.nix
index 08f5bfa..09b0cd0 100644
--- a/modules/nixos/system.nix
+++ b/modules/nixos/system.nix
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 {
   config,
   pkgs,
+  lib,
   ...
 }: let
   cfg = config.omarchy;
-  packages = import ../packages.nix {inherit pkgs;};
+  packages = import ../packages.nix {inherit pkgs lib; exclude_packages = cfg.exclude_packages;};
 in {
   security.rtkit.enable = true;
   services.pulseaudio.enable = false;
diff --git a/modules/packages.nix b/modules/packages.nix
index d90af3c..5f11657 100644
--- a/modules/packages.nix
+++ b/modules/packages.nix
@@ -1,26 +1,27 @@
-{pkgs}: {
-  # Regular packages
-  systemPackages = with pkgs; [
-    # Base system tools
-    git
-    vim
-    libnotify
-    pavucontrol
-    brightnessctl
-    ffmpeg
-    nautilus
+{pkgs, lib, exclude_packages ? []}: 
+let
+  # Essential Hyprland packages - cannot be excluded
+  hyprlandPackages = with pkgs; [
     hyprshot
     hyprpicker
     hyprsunset
-    alejandra
+    brightnessctl
     pamixer
     playerctl
     bibata-cursors
     gnome-themes-extra
+    pavucontrol
+  ];
+
+  # Essential system packages - cannot be excluded
+  systemPackages = with pkgs; [
+    git
+    vim
+    libnotify
+    nautilus
+    alejandra
     blueberry
     clipse
-
-    # Shell tools
     fzf
     zoxide
     ripgrep
@@ -30,7 +31,10 @@
     unzip
     wget
     gnumake
+  ];
 
+  # Discretionary packages - can be excluded by user
+  discretionaryPackages = with pkgs; [
     # TUIs
     lazygit
     lazydocker
@@ -42,23 +46,12 @@
     chromium
     obsidian
     vlc
-
-    # Can't find this in nixpkgs!
-    # Might have to make it ourselves
-    # asdcontrol
-
-    # Don't want these right now
-    # obs-studio
-    # kdePackages.kdenLive
-    # pinta
-    # libreoffice
     signal-desktop
 
     # Commercial GUIs
     typora
     dropbox
     spotify
-    # zoom
 
     # Development tools
     github-desktop
@@ -66,9 +59,16 @@
 
     # Containers
     docker-compose
-    # podman-compose
+    ffmpeg
   ];
 
+  # Only allow excluding discretionary packages to prevent breaking the system
+  filteredDiscretionaryPackages = lib.lists.subtractLists exclude_packages discretionaryPackages;
+  allSystemPackages = hyprlandPackages ++ systemPackages ++ filteredDiscretionaryPackages;
+in {
+  # Regular packages
+  systemPackages = allSystemPackages;
+
   homePackages = with pkgs; [
   ];
 }