What in your life have you automated?

[FurForksSake]

I saw something earlier about automation in the home and wondered if anyone had any fabulous ways they are using it?

we have lots of automated bulbs and Alexa has routines to turn lamps on and off and will do my evening routines easily.

I use Amazon subscribe and save for lots of household basics and cupboard items.

I use an online pharmacy for repeat prescriptions and they practically just turn up, a quick email reminder and it’s all done.

we use a shared online diary for meal planning and just set certain things to repeat.

moonpig has all birthdays listed so I can easily send cards which I forget all the time (also has addresses quickly available!)

i have a milkman so that means bread, milk and juice just turn up.

Any clever ways you are using it? I saw one where they had an Alexa bed time routine and got Alexa to play certain music and change lighting at bedtime to be calm and cosy and help transition into sleep.

Robot vacuum cleaner mops the floors while we are out!!! I love the 21st century!!!!!!

I feel like I’m too untidy for robot vacuum and mop… maybe once the kids have flown! I’m very tempted though.

Love stuff like this. I don’t have any but will be watching this

I have a rechargeable motion sensor light in my bathroom that comes on after dark, it glows softly orange. It feels luxurious somehow and makes me happy.

Grocery delivery. Sit and create shopping list while watching tv. Saves endless hours in the supermarket and lugging shopping around.

alexa shopping list, add as you go ‘Alexa add sugar’. She creates a list which you can manage in the app.

Google calendar for tasks and reminders

It’s one of those things, we have so much available tech but don’t always use it to the fullest.

I used to have an automatic Ocado order, so if I ever forgot to do the shopping I’d know that a basic shop would always turn up.

Alexa / hey Google or whatever can do so much in terms of reminders, turning things on and off and adding things to shopping lists. I feel like I need an Alexa consultant to come and tell me how many ways it can make my life easier!

Oh, I love automating things!

I have an automated wake up where the lights slowly brighten then the radio finally comes on, for a gentler transition from sleeping.

My curtains and blind open automatically at a set time, then close around sunset each day. Also at sunset, my lights transition from cool to warm.

I also have deterrent routines that I activate when we go away, that uses a combination of lights, curtains and radio to make the house seem occupied.

I wouldn't be without Alexa - i have so many reminders on there and everyone gives me the credit for being organised 😆

Wrt those robot hoovers - i can only imagine the mess if it ran over one of my cats 'orrible fur balls or piles of sick (when he eats a spider and it makes him throw up 🙄) and spread it round the house, so no ta 😀

Any clever ways you are using it? I saw one where they had an Alexa bed time routine and got Alexa to play certain music and change lighting at bedtime to be calm and cosy and help transition into sleep.

Oh I like this though I’d want it for the morning. I live alone and it can get difficult to settle in a routine sometimes when you’re only responsible for yourself if that makes sense.

At weekends I can get lazy also so would be great to have a disembodied voice remind me at set times I need to get off MN and or YouTube 😅 and start cleaning the toilets and hoovering haha

You can absolutely do that for mornings, we have hue lightbulbs and they are fab and work really well with hue. ChatGPT can probably help with how you get Alexa to do exactly what you want!

I also saw someone using nfc tags on medication and scanning them which logged the time taken. You could do that with supplements as well.

in need a way to automate my fridge, freezer and cupboard contents so I don’t keep buying tomato puree and forgetting to buy thyme!

I loooove stuff like this! Nothing useful to add myself but @FurForksSakecan you tell me more about the shared online diary for meal planning - what do you use and what do you record?

I have this....now I need a mini one to do the worktops.

It’s so basic, we just use the apple calendar on our phones and we have a shared calendar on there. I list the meal as the entry and then add a url to the recipe or write it out, next time I make it the information comes through.

we also have shared notes for meal ideas and desired dinners so I can work them in.

and a shared notes list for our tv shows and what streaming service they are on!

That Monica all over 😆

Shopping, medication and Google calendar. Bit scary how much daily stuff is now automated....

I have my grocery list in Alexa. As soon as I need something I just tell Alexa to add it to my shopping list and there it is on my phone instantly. No more scribbling in the backs of envelopes and then losing them before I got to the shop

All lights on motion sensors, apart from bedroom and loft, no more arguments with the children leaving the lights on.

Automatic deadlock on side gate and garage doors at midnight or when house is empty.

Flash all lights red, and deadlock side gate and garage when alarm is triggered.

Heated bathroom mirror and extractor fan, triggered when humidity is high.
Scheduled irrigation front and back, which skips if rain is forecast.

Scheduled heating, but only in office when motion detected.

Doorbell pressed, bookmark multiple cameras on CCTV, and email snapshot.

Scheduled heated dog pad! (I know)

Multiple robotic lawnmowers, scheduled to only cut at night when it hasn't been raining.

One button for bath time, set lights, heated mirror, soft music, fan off.
One button to end bath time, everything off, except run fan for 30 minutes, or if humidity falls below a certain point.

Automatic bath plug, that vents if you overfill the bath, brilliant!

To me the point of automation, is to make it invisible, so you don't really notice it's happening and just becomes normal.

I trained my AI with the family’s favourite recipes (starting with Gousto ones that we like, and adding others) and now it suggests our meal plans based on what we have liked recently, what we have eaten in recent weeks (to balance nutrition), who’s going to be home, how much time there is to meal prep on any given day (eg Tuesdays are always rushed) etc.

It gives suggestions plus alternatives which we then tweak to agree a meal plan. It then preps the online order which I just need to approve and pay 🙂

It’s like Gousto on steroids.

(Disclaimer - I work in AI)

@Dbankwow. We have smart locks on the house, but the deadbolts on gate etc are definitely something I’ll look into.

I use magnetic plate locks, and control them with Meross smart plugs and Apple Home.

The holding force is quite remarkable.

This is really impressive!

our house has way too many doors to the outside, I keep looking into smart locks so I can stop the round of doors before I go to bed or leave. Must actually do more than looking

We have automated blinds - they close at a set time every day, automated garden irrigation, rooflights with rain sensors, a robot vacuum and we’ve just bought a Litter Robot.

I can also control the washing machine, dryer and ovens from my phone, although they don’t do anything without telling!

Just ensure they meet any requirements for your insurance, many do not.

I had a routine for a time on my Alexa enabled kettle to turn on at 6:30 so I could make a cup of tea straight away, but I forgot to turn it back on after my holiday.

For knowing the contents of your cupboard and fridge etc, I have recently started using the No Waste app. You can add expiry dates, locations (I’m really specific like Freezer Drawer 2). It has a search feature and an ‘add to shopping list’. It’s not automated but useful.

I have automated the cat to sit on my face at 6am each day.