You could have a home chock-full of the best smart home devices, but if you haven't already set up some useful home automations, there's a lot you're missing out on.
Google and Amazon have built-in the ability to create automation -- or “Alexa Routines,” as Amazon calls them -- within the Alexa or Google Home app. The apps also offer premade automations to help you get started. Sometimes, the best approach to making a Google automation or Alexa Routine is to keep it simple. For example, you can have lights turned on at specific times of the day, but other times, you need something more complex or niche.
Whether you've just started investing in smart home devices or already own a few and want to make the most out of them, you're not alone. Several Reddit users are in the same boat, wondering if it's possible to walk into your home and have the PlayStation turn on automatically while your coffee starts brewing.
Below, you'll find my favorite smart home routine and three more unusual automations to make your smart home work for you.
Multiple ways to automate your home
Amazon and Google have done a good job of expanding automation within each ecosystem’s app, but you’ll need outside help for certain tasks. Of the automations I mention below, some can be done entirely within Alexa or Google Home, while others require help from a third-party service. I’m using IFTTT.
IFTTT, or If This Then That, is a platform that links brands and platforms such as Facebook, Google Assistant, Philips Hue, Govee and about a thousand more. This powerful functionality allows you to create custom automations that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
One handy IFTTT feature utilizes AI to help you create bespoke automations. Instead of you building each step in the automation process, you can simply say what you want to happen and the IFTTT AI feature will build the Applet – that’s what IFTTT calls automations – for you. Then you can tweak steps if needed.
Prep for bad weather
One of my favorite automations is to get an alert on my phone one hour before inclement weather is projected to hit. To take it further, I have my Govee Floor Lamps turn blue when the notification is sent. It’s a simple automation that has proven helpful in making sure I don’t leave anything outdoors during a surprise shower that could be damaged by rain.
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