11 Time-Saving Smart Home Automations Anyone Can Try

Ever felt like you’re bouncing around your house managing chores when you could be sipping coffee or catching up on your favorite show? We bet you have – we’ve all been there. What if you could hand over control of these time-draining duties to an invisible, super-efficient butler? Sounds dreamy, right?

Luckily, smart home automations are here to be that very butler. Let’s dive right into 11 spectacular automations that’ll save you heaps of time.

1. Automatic Wake-up Routine

Devices Needed: Smart speaker (like Amazon Echo)

Optional: Smart lights (like Philips Hue or WiZ), smart blinds or curtains, smart coffee maker

Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate

Nothing starts the day off right like a seamless morning routine. Imagine, your lights gradually brighten, your blinds open, your favorite music starts playing, and your coffee begins brewing, all without you lifting a finger. Setting this up won’t require a rocket science degree, promise!

You can make your wake-up routine as simple or complciated as you want. Start off simple by moving your alarm to Alexa. Then, you can expand that same routine to include your lights, blinds, and more.

2. Smart Thermostat Adjustment

Devices Needed: Smart thermostat (like Nest or Ecobee)

Optional: Extra temperature sensors

Difficulty Level: Easy

Remember the times when you had to manually adjust the thermostat when you’re arriving home or going to bed? Automation allows the thermostat to adjust itself based on your daily schedule. Why waste time messing with buttons when your home can do it for you?

3. Auto-Lock Doors

Devices Needed: Smart locks

Difficulty Level: Easy

How many times have you driven away from your house, only to drive back because you’re unsure if you locked the door? Kiss that unease goodbye. Setup is a breeze with most smart locks and you’ll love the peace of mind.

4. Smart Garden Irrigation

Devices Needed: Smart irrigation system

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Keeping the garden watered can turn out to be a daily time pit. A smart irrigation system can help you automate this and also be mindful of the local weather forecast. It might take a bit to set up, but think of all the time you’ll reclaim.

5. Feeding Fido

Devices Needed: Automated pet feeder

Difficulty Level: Easy

Feeding your pets on a schedule sounds easy but life gets busy. An automated pet feeder never forgets to feed Fluffy. And if you’ve even tried to explain time management to a hungry cat, you know this one’s a real gem!

6. Laundry Alert

Devices Needed: Smart washer and dryer

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ever had damp clothes start to smell because you forgot them in the washer? With a smart washer and dryer, you’ll get handy alerts when your laundry’s ready. It’s easy to set up, practical, and a definite time saver.

7. Auto Night Mode

Devices Needed: Smart lights

Optional: Smart thermostat, smart plugs, smart appliances

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Setting your house to automatically “power down” for the night — lowering the thermostat, dimming lights, even turning off that TV can save you quite a bit of time and offer a seamless transition to bedtime.

Each of these automations is easy, but it takes some effort to coordinate them all. Pick the most obvious ones to start with (TV, lights), and keep adding new devices to your power down routine. Eventually, your home will know it’s bedtime before you do.

8. Detecting Leaks

Devices Needed: Smart leak detectors

Difficulty Level: Easy

Water leaks can cause serious damage and drain a lot of time. Put smart leak sensors to work, which will send an alert at the slightest hint of a leak. It’s perfect for avoiding those potential headaches.

9. Automated House Cleaning

Devices Needed: Robotic vacuum cleaner

Difficulty Level: Easy

Automated vacuums are every clean freak’s dream. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it kind of deal and guarantees you a clean home without the time and energy investment of manual vacuuming. If you care about cleanliness and time-saving, Roombas are worth every penny.

10. Smart Cooking

Devices Needed: Any of smart slow cooker or pressure cooker (Instant Pot), smart Sous Vide, smart oven, smart air fryer

Difficulty Level: Easy

Instant pots are a game-changer! You can remotely control the temperature and cooking time, ensuring your meal will be ready exactly when you want it to. Let that stew simmer while you focus on better things.

That same simplicity is available in a range of other devices now, too. My smart phone can make perfect steaks with my Sous Vide, and a smart oven saves time and adds extra safety to dinner prep.

11. Fit and Forget Water Heating

Devices Needed: Smart water heater controller

Difficulty Level: Easy

Waiting for the water to heat up or adjusting the temperature mid-shower can be such a drag. Automate it, tailor it to your routine, and you get hot water whenever you need it.

What’s Next?

There we go, 11 ways to deliver a swift boot to time-wasting chores and embrace the world of smart home automations. Yeah, some take a bit of setting up, but once you’ve done that, it’s hands-off, time-saving bliss. So, which one are you going to start with?