Smart home planning in 5 easy steps

Smart gadgets are everywhere these days. From televisions to toasters, from electric toothbrushes to washing machines, almost everything is available in a smart version. Life really does seem to get a little easier when devices think for themselves.

So far, so futuristic. But how do you get your analog home up and running? How complicated is it to upgrade to a smart home? What are the requirements and challenges? And where do you start with the planning?

5 steps to a smart home

An old saying among craftsmen goes, "The project is only as good as the preparation!" So take some time in advance to calmly decide what the finished smart home should be able to do. What exactly should be made easier? Where would you like to receive support at the touch of a button, and what should ideally even be automated?

1. There is strength in calmness

To prepare, take your time and go through one room at a time. What's bothering you? Which processes could be simplified? From the hallway to the kitchen: Make notes, even about small things like hard-to-reach outlets or light switches. Don't forget the garden or balcony, if you have one—there's a lot you can do there, too.

2. Research and Archive

Now the real work begins! Take some time to find out what options are available for your personal needs and desires and create a list of your favorites. Also pay attention to how your desired devices can be controlled. Most manufacturers – like Chuango – use their own app, and you certainly don't want to end up messing around with ten different apps!

A voice assistant like Siri or Alexa can help keep all your gadgets under control, as most smart home devices are compatible with at least one. So be sure to include smart speakers in your research; they can simplify processes and easily give access to other household members—we'll get to that later!

When in doubt, the motto is: less is more! It's surprisingly easy to further upgrade your smart home once you've established a solid foundation. So you can focus on the basics first and then add more products in a second step.

Ask the users who know! There are very active smart home communities on Twitter, Reddit, and YouTube – here you'll find tips for use and installation, as well as product recommendations and tips on devices that haven't performed well in practice. Don't be afraid of the comments! Most users enjoy sharing their knowledge.

3. Money, money, money!

Now that you know what you want and what you at least need, it's time to consider your budget. Only if you're clear about the maximum cost of all this fun can your smart home planning be successful without nasty surprises later on. A long wish list and a small budget don't mean the end of your project. Quite the opposite: Clearly limited resources will help you prioritize among the multitude of options and protect you from making mistakes and overbuying! So, be clear about what you're willing to spend and adjust your wish list accordingly.

4. Alexa, turn off the light!

Now you know which devices you want, where to get them, how to install them, and how much they should cost. Now the next big question is: How will you operate them? You briefly considered it at the very beginning of your research – a voice assistant would be a smart solution. But which one should you choose? We've already introduced the "Big Three" – Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant – in more detail in another article, if you'd like to delve deeper into the world of smart speakers.

Otherwise, the same applies: Figure out your needs and which assistant best suits you and your home. Siri is automatically included if you own Apple products. Alexa is by far the most well-known and flexible of the assistants, and the easiest to learn. Google Assistant is highly adaptive and is already available with relatively inexpensive smart speakers.

All three can save routines and automations, making your everyday life easier. They give you control over your smart home products and, above all, make it easy to share operation among multiple residents.

5. Almost done!

You've purchased your products, strictly within budget, of course, set up your voice assistant, connected everything, and tested it. Now the final step is fine-tuning! After all, that's what makes a smart home the most fun: planning and setting up automated processes. For example, you can turn your bedside lamp into a wake-up light and have it gently wake you up. Or you can start your robot vacuum whenever you leave for work in the morning. Your imagination is the only limit – you can plan as broadly or as detailed as you like!

Conclusion:

Planning your smart home will take some time – but it's worth it! You can install and plan components and processes according to your preferences. However, it's important that you first get to know your needs in detail. Always keep in mind that technology is constantly evolving, and there will surely soon be new smart components that you'd like to incorporate. A smart home is not a finished project, but rather an ever-evolving process.