diff --git a/client/components/Nav.js b/client/components/Nav.js
index 87ef80ec..d7862bec 100644
--- a/client/components/Nav.js
+++ b/client/components/Nav.js
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ function Nav(props) {
         <li className="nav__item">
           <a
             className="nav__new"
-            onClick={props.createProject}
+            onClick={props.newProject}
           >
             New
           </a>
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ function Nav(props) {
 }
 
 Nav.propTypes = {
-  createProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  newProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   saveProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   exportProjectAsZip: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   cloneProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
diff --git a/client/constants.js b/client/constants.js
index 00061bf1..29f60645 100644
--- a/client/constants.js
+++ b/client/constants.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ export const SET_PROJECT_NAME = 'SET_PROJECT_NAME';
 export const PROJECT_SAVE_SUCCESS = 'PROJECT_SAVE_SUCCESS';
 export const PROJECT_SAVE_FAIL = 'PROJECT_SAVE_FAIL';
 export const NEW_PROJECT = 'NEW_PROJECT';
+export const RESET_PROJECT = 'RESET_PROJECT';
 
 export const SET_PROJECT = 'SET_PROJECT';
 export const SET_PROJECTS = 'SET_PROJECTS';
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/actions/project.js b/client/modules/IDE/actions/project.js
index d44cf12a..3737b968 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/actions/project.js
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/actions/project.js
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ export function createProject() {
 
 export function exportProjectAsZip() {
   return (dispatch, getState) => {
-    console.log('exporting project!');
     const state = getState();
     const zip = new JSZip();
     async.each(state.files, (file, cb) => {
@@ -139,6 +138,13 @@ export function exportProjectAsZip() {
   };
 }
 
+export function newProject() {
+  browserHistory.push('/');
+  return {
+    type: ActionTypes.RESET_PROJECT
+  };
+}
+
 export function cloneProject() {
   return (dispatch, getState) => {
     const state = getState();
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/components/Editor.js b/client/modules/IDE/components/Editor.js
index a7f5ab5e..8e734b78 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/components/Editor.js
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/components/Editor.js
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ class Editor extends React.Component {
         this._cm.setOption('mode', 'htmlmixed');
       }
     }
+
+    console.log('componentDidUpdate in editor');
   }
 
   componentWillUnmount() {
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/pages/IDEView.js b/client/modules/IDE/pages/IDEView.js
index a6c4b7c9..5fc80c91 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/pages/IDEView.js
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/pages/IDEView.js
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ class IDEView extends React.Component {
 
     this.consoleSize = this.props.ide.consoleIsExpanded ? 180 : 29;
     this.sidebarSize = this.props.ide.sidebarIsExpanded ? 180 : 20;
+    this.forceUpdate();
   }
 
   componentWillUpdate(nextProps) {
@@ -65,11 +66,18 @@ class IDEView extends React.Component {
         this.autosaveInterval = null;
       }
     }
+
+    if (this.autosaveInterval && !this.props.project.id) {
+      clearInterval(this.autosaveInterval);
+      this.autosaveInterval = null;
+    }
   }
 
   componentWillUnmount() {
     clearInterval(this.autosaveInterval);
     this.autosaveInterval = null;
+    this.consoleSize = undefined;
+    this.sidebarSize = undefined;
   }
 
   _handleConsolePaneOnDragFinished() {
@@ -81,6 +89,7 @@ class IDEView extends React.Component {
   }
 
   _handleSidebarPaneOnDragFinished() {
+    console.log('setting sidebar size');
     this.sidebarSize = this.refs.sidebarPane.state.draggedSize;
     this.refs.sidebarPane.setState({
       resized: false,
@@ -93,7 +102,7 @@ class IDEView extends React.Component {
       <div className="ide">
         <Nav
           user={this.props.user}
-          createProject={this.props.createProject}
+          newProject={this.props.newProject}
           saveProject={this.props.saveProject}
           exportProjectAsZip={this.props.exportProjectAsZip}
           cloneProject={this.props.cloneProject}
@@ -129,6 +138,7 @@ class IDEView extends React.Component {
             ref="sidebarPane"
             onDragFinished={this._handleSidebarPaneOnDragFinished}
             allowResize={this.props.ide.sidebarIsExpanded}
+            minSize={20}
           >
             <Sidebar
               files={this.props.files}
@@ -220,7 +230,7 @@ IDEView.propTypes = {
     authenticated: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
     id: PropTypes.string
   }).isRequired,
-  createProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  newProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   saveProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   ide: PropTypes.shape({
     isPlaying: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/reducers/files.js b/client/modules/IDE/reducers/files.js
index bd07aebb..150bda18 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/reducers/files.js
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/reducers/files.js
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ const files = (state = initialState, action) => {
       return [...action.files];
     case ActionTypes.SET_PROJECT:
       return [...action.files];
+    case ActionTypes.RESET_PROJECT:
+      return initialState;
     case ActionTypes.CREATE_FILE:
       return [...state, { name: action.name, id: action.id, content: '', url: action.url }];
     case ActionTypes.SHOW_FILE_OPTIONS:
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/reducers/ide.js b/client/modules/IDE/reducers/ide.js
index 21dc2828..03a4dc4b 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/reducers/ide.js
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/reducers/ide.js
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ const ide = (state = initialState, action) => {
       return Object.assign({}, state, { preferencesIsVisible: true });
     case ActionTypes.CLOSE_PREFERENCES:
       return Object.assign({}, state, { preferencesIsVisible: false });
+    case ActionTypes.RESET_PROJECT:
+      return initialState;
     default:
       return state;
   }
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/reducers/project.js b/client/modules/IDE/reducers/project.js
index 5893863f..d50e1485 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/reducers/project.js
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/reducers/project.js
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ const project = (state = initialState, action) => {
         name: action.project.name,
         owner: action.owner
       };
+    case ActionTypes.RESET_PROJECT:
+      return initialState;
     default:
       return state;
   }
diff --git a/client/modules/Sketch/pages/SketchListView.js b/client/modules/Sketch/pages/SketchListView.js
index 06f18d0b..e46cab23 100644
--- a/client/modules/Sketch/pages/SketchListView.js
+++ b/client/modules/Sketch/pages/SketchListView.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ class SketchListView extends React.Component {
       <div className="sketch-list">
         <Nav
           user={this.props.user}
-          createProject={this.props.createProject}
+          newProject={this.props.newProject}
           saveProject={this.props.saveProject}
           exportProjectAsZip={this.props.exportProjectAsZip}
           cloneProject={this.props.cloneProject}
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ class SketchListView extends React.Component {
 
 SketchListView.propTypes = {
   user: PropTypes.object.isRequired,
-  createProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  newProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   saveProject: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   getProjects: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   sketches: PropTypes.array.isRequired,
diff --git a/client/styles/layout/_ide.scss b/client/styles/layout/_ide.scss
index a91a5db9..a1517b77 100644
--- a/client/styles/layout/_ide.scss
+++ b/client/styles/layout/_ide.scss
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
   width: 100%;
   position: absolute;
   z-index: 10;
+  display: none;
 }
 
 .toolbar {