I use a Git repo for the files, and a simple Makefile to script the correct paths and optional install steps for them

That looks useful, thanks for sharing

I’ve used Mint since I started using Linux, and never had any major issues. I’ve therefore just stuck with it. I don’t always have the time to tinker with my machine if something should break, and Mint usually just works when I need it, while still providing flexibility when I want it (and Timeshift to fix it when I break stuff)