How Can I Create My Own Smart Home?
Feb 01 | 2024
The 1999 Disney Channel Original film, Smart House, was way ahead of its time. A widowed father and his two children winning a computerized home with a robotic 1950s-esque housewife? It’s something Elon Musk dreams about — except for the part when the robot turns evil.
And while 1999 was the peak fear-mongering era against computerized technology, maybe they were onto something. Even 80s media was surprisingly prescient. While time travel and flying cars aren’t popular, Back To The Future shows that people knew what technology could be capable of.
With new, advanced technology, we now get the convenience of voice-activated digital assistants like Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa. They can help you use your phone without your fingers by handling texts or calls, answering questions, and setting reminders.
These digital assistants have opened up easier pathways to using technology: Amazon’s Alexa services are available in speakers, televisions, phones, remotes, and more, while Siri is available on virtually all Apple products.
These are commonly known as “smart devices.” A smart product can link anything to your phone or a remote, allowing you to save energy (and money on your electricity bill) over time. Almost everything these days is made into a smart device: your sprinkler system, your security cameras, your appliances, your outlets, and your lights.
What Are The Benefits Of A Smart Home?
Now, you don’t have to manually rip out every extension cord and plug before you go on vacation. You don’t have to worry about whether or not you turned off your stove or lights, because you can just check the app on your phone and do it from anywhere in the world!
My mom introduced me to the joys of smart homes when we put up our Christmas tree. Now, in an evil twist, I sometimes turn it off from over two hours away to try to convince her there’s a ghost in the house.
It’s an easy way to switch off the energy-consuming appliances and products in your house without the stress, worry, and effort…and over time, your energy bill will thank you for it. Many smart home products are sold for under $100, so you don’t have to spend a lot of money if you don’t have it.
Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, hosts of Netflix’s Get Organized with The Home Edit, have successfully organized and decluttered clients’ homes to create beautiful living spaces. They’ve worked with stars like Reese Witherspoon, Khloe Kardashian, and Eva Longoria to revamp and reorganize; and they’re major fans of smart appliances like Samsung’s Bespoke Washer and Dryer set.
“As organizers, efficiency is always at the top of our minds! And we can say with confidence that there is nothing more efficient than Samsung’s SmartThings technology,” says The Home Edit’s Clea Shearer. “It is so easy to track how much energy you’re using in real-time, so you can make decisions to use less and save money! We love the convenience of the SmartThings app and the appliances themselves are sleek and storage-savvy.”
What Smart Home Items Do I Need?
@b_turner50 Hello this is my home where I live I hope you like it c: #smarthome#tech#apple#siri#homekit#automation#decor#diy#modern#alexa#tecktok#tech#home#fyp♬ original sound – Brett ⍩ | Tech & Smart Home
My roommates and I have a festival of neon lights in our living room. Every time someone sleeps over, we have to rip out every single light individually and re-plug them back in every morning. It’s an exhausting process that could be made simpler with the use of smart plugs, which have an app to turn them off and on.
So assess your needs and see how you could make life easier for yourself. For example, you could get multiple Amazon Alexa speakers throughout your home. These can be synced to set alarms and reminders, listen to music, used as walkie-talkies, and even paired with your television. You can also sync all of your Alexa devices to play the same sounds at once.
A Ring Doorbell is a smart device that can allow you to see and speak to home visitors, detect any unusual movement, and see when your deliveries arrive. You get notifications directly to your phone about any activity whatsoever, elevating your home security.
There are plenty of options out there for you, but here are a few of our favorites:
- Eightree Smart Plugs, Alexa Compatible
- Amazon Echo Show
- Vizio 40-Inch HD Smart TV
- Ring Video Doorbell Wired
- Amazon Basics Smart Lightbulb
- Samsung Bespoke Smart Washer + Dryer
- Eightree Smart Plugs, Alexa Compatible
- Amazon Echo Show
- Vizio 40-Inch HD Smart TV
- Ring Video Doorbell Wired
- Amazon Basics Smart Lightbulb
- Samsung Bespoke Smart Washer + Dryer