The 1999 Disney Channel Original Movie Smart House may have seemed like a fantasy at the time, but over the past twenty years, innovators have made smart homes a reality. Today, almost all of your appliances, fixtures, and entertainment systems can be connected and accessed straight from your smartphone. But how does one turn their house into a smart home? That’s what we’re going to cover today.
To bring your home into the 21st-century, continue reading below.
Create A Budget
To create a smart home, you’re going to face some expensive upfront costs. While it may be costly during the moment, home automation can actually help you save money in the long run, making it a worthwhile investment. To begin budgeting, it’s crucial you have an easy to use budgeting software that allows you to track your expenses and save for the necessary equipment needed to create a smart home. To find the perfect budgeting software, check out these 5 home budget software features your budget programs need. Once you have a software picked out, you’ll be on your way to living in your very own smart home.
Get A Hub
Another kind of hub that you may be interested in is one that powers your workstation. A USB hub helps you work with peripherals, such as flash drives, to transfer files to and from your computer. With power delivery, the device can keep your phone, tablet, smart TV, and other smart devices fully charged. You see, this hub is a smart addition to your home.
Purchase Smart Devices, Fixtures, And Appliances
Once you have your smart home hub picked out, it’s time to buy some devices, fixtures, and appliances to connect it to. Below, we’ll go over some popular smart home devices that will connect your home and make your life easier and more exciting.
- Speaker: The first smart device you should purchase is a smart speaker, such as an Amazon Echo, Google Home, or Apple HomePod. With your speaker, you’ll be able to talk to your virtual assistant and say commands, such as, “Alexa, dim the lights” or “Hey Google, raise the temperature two degrees.”
- Lights: Have you ever gone to bed and realized you left the light on? Instead of walking across the cold wood floor, groggy and half asleep, simply use your phone or tell your virtual assistant to shut the lights off with smart lights.
- Thermostat: Keeping the heat or air on when you’re not home can be the cause of your high electricity or oil bills. With a smart thermostat, you’ll be able to adjust your home’s temperature anywhere you are, whether work or on a tropical vacation. Then, right before you commute home, adjust the temperature to your preferred setting without feeling guilty.
- Washer and Dryer: Yes, your washer and dryer can have minds of their own, too. Nothing’s worse than leaving your clothes in the wash too long, resulting in a mildewy smell. With a smart washer and dryer, you can schedule your wash and dry times and even receive notifications on your phone when a load is complete.
- Smart Pet Food Dispenser: We know, it’s heartbreaking leaving your furry friends at home when you run errands or go to work. With a smart pet food dispenser, you’ll be able to feed Fido or your mischievous cat from your smartphone. This way, you can have peace of mind knowing they’re well-fed.
- Smart Toothbrush: No matter how hard you try, it’s almost impossible to impress your dentist. Floss more, don’t forget to wear your retainer, rinse with mouthwash—you can hear their voice echoing in your sleep. Not anymore. Smart toothbrushes use facial recognition and connect to your smartphone to tell you which spots you’ve missed ensuring every tooth got their proper cleaning.
- Smart Refrigerator: Ever go to the grocery store and forget what items you have waiting in the fridge at home? Don’t lie, we all have. Next time you’re shopping at the grocery store, open your smartphone and check your smart fridge. This handy dandy smart home appliance will be able to tell you what’s in your fridge and when they expire.
Get Connected
With your budget set, smart home hub picked out, and smart devices, fixtures, and appliances chosen, you’ll have the smart home of your dreams. And this list of smart devices merely scratches the surface. You’ll also find smart ovens, dishwashers, microwaves, wine dispensers, frying pans, and so much more. Maintaining your home has never been easier.
