diff --git a/lib/app/item.ex b/lib/app/item.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..57d9229c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/app/item.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+defmodule App.Item do
+  use Ecto.Schema
+  import Ecto.Changeset
+  import Ecto.Query, warn: false
+  alias App.Repo
+  alias __MODULE__
+
+  schema "items" do
+    field :text, :string
+    # an item always belongs to a person
+    field :person_id, :id
+    field :status, :id
+    many_to_many :tags, App.Ctx.Tag, join_through: "item_tags"
+    timestamps()
+  end
+
+  @doc false
+  def changeset(item, attrs) do
+    item
+    |> cast(attrs, [:text])
+    |> validate_required([:text])
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns the list of items.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> list_items()
+      [%Item{}, ...]
+
+  """
+  def list_items do
+    Repo.all(Item)
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Gets a single item.
+
+  Raises `Ecto.NoResultsError` if the Item does not exist.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> get_item!(123)
+      %Item{}
+
+      iex> get_item!(456)
+      ** (Ecto.NoResultsError)
+
+  """
+  def get_item!(id), do: Repo.get!(Item, id)
+
+  @doc """
+  Creates a item.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> create_item(%{field: value})
+      {:ok, %Item{}}
+
+      iex> create_item(%{field: bad_value})
+      {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}}
+
+  """
+  def create_item(attrs \\ %{}) do
+    %Item{}
+    |> Item.changeset(attrs)
+    |> Repo.insert()
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Updates a item.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> update_item(item, %{field: new_value})
+      {:ok, %Item{}}
+
+      iex> update_item(item, %{field: bad_value})
+      {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}}
+
+  """
+  def update_item(%Item{} = item, attrs) do
+    item
+    |> Item.changeset(attrs)
+    |> Repo.update()
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Deletes a Item.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> delete_item(item)
+      {:ok, %Item{}}
+
+      iex> delete_item(item)
+      {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}}
+
+  """
+  def delete_item(%Item{} = item) do
+    Repo.delete(item)
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns an `%Ecto.Changeset{}` for tracking item changes.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> change_item(item)
+      %Ecto.Changeset{source: %Item{}}
+
+  """
+  def change_item(%Item{} = item) do
+    Item.changeset(item, %{})
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/app/item_test.exs b/test/app/item_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3277cfb2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/app/item_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+defmodule App.ItemTest do
+  use App.DataCase
+
+  alias App.Item
+
+  describe "items" do
+    @valid_attrs %{text: "some text"}
+    @update_attrs %{text: "some updated text"}
+    @invalid_attrs %{text: nil}
+
+    def item_fixture(attrs \\ %{}) do
+      {:ok, item} =
+        attrs
+        |> Enum.into(@valid_attrs)
+        |> Item.create_item()
+
+      item
+    end
+
+    test "get_item!/1 returns the item with given id" do
+      item = item_fixture(@valid_attrs)
+      assert Item.get_item!(item.id) == item
+    end
+
+    test "create_item/1 with valid data creates a item" do
+      assert {:ok, %Item{} = item} = Item.create_item(@valid_attrs)
+      assert item.text == "some text"
+    end
+
+    test "create_item/1 with invalid data returns error changeset" do
+      assert {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}} = Item.create_item(@invalid_attrs)
+    end
+
+    test "update_item/2 with valid data updates the item" do
+      item = item_fixture()
+      assert {:ok, %Item{} = item} = Item.update_item(item, @update_attrs)
+      assert item.text == "some updated text"
+    end
+
+    test "change_item/1 returns a item changeset" do
+      item = item_fixture()
+      assert %Ecto.Changeset{} = Item.change_item(item)
+    end
+  end
+end