FILE LAYOUT

/ project_dir/
|
+- django/
|
+- assets/
+-- js /
+-- css /

settings.py

import os

here = lambda * x: os.path.join(os.path.abspath(os.path.dirname(__file__)), *x)
PROJECT_ROOT = here("..", "..")
root = lambda * x: os.path.join(os.path.abspath(PROJECT_ROOT), *x)

[...]

MEDIA_ROOT = root("media")
STATIC_ROOT = root("static")
STATICFILES_DIRS = (
    root("assets")
)
MEDIA_URL = "/media/"
STATIC_URL = "/static/"

[...]

urls.py

from django.contrib.staticfiles.urls import staticfiles_urlpatterns
[...]

urlpatterns += staticfiles_urlpatterns()