A Proper Homedir

#!/bin/zsh
mkdir -p $HOME/local/{bin,etc,include,lib,src,tmp}
export $PATH=$PATH:$HOME/local/bin
export $PKG_CONFIG_PATH=$PKG_CONFIG_PATH:$HOME/lib/pkgconfig
(cd $HOME/local/etc && git init) #link ~/.profile and such here

Do your development in $HOME/local/src and install with a prefix of $HOME/local.