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You could have a house full of stuff Best smart home devicesbut if you haven’t already set up some useful home automation systems, there’s a lot you’re missing out on.
Google and Amazon have a built-in ability to create automation – or “Alexa Routine“, as Amazon calls them — inside the Alexa or Google Home app. The apps also offer pre-built 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 turn on the lights at specific times of the day, but other times, you need something a little more complex or specialized.
Whether you’re just starting to invest in smart home devices or you already own a few and want to get the most out of them, you’re not alone. Many Reddit users In the same boat, you’re wondering if it’s possible to walk into your home and automatically turn on your PlayStation while you start making your coffee.
Below you’ll find my favorite smart home routines and three 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 scaling automation within each application of the ecosystem, 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 need help from an external service. I use It crumbled.
IFTTT, or if this then that, is a platform that connects brands with platforms like Facebook, Google AssistantAnd Philips Hue, Govee and about a thousand others. This powerful functionality allows you to create custom automations that would not be possible otherwise.
An easy-to-use IFTTT feature that uses artificial intelligence to help you create custom automations. Instead of creating each step in the automation process, you simply say what you want to happen and IFTTT AI will create the applet — that’s what IFTTT calls automations — for you. Then you can modify the steps if necessary.
Prepare for bad weather
One of my favorite automations is to get an alert on my phone one hour before stormy weather is expected. To take it further, I have Recessed floor lamps It turns blue when the notification is sent. It is a simple automation process that has proven useful in making sure that nothing is left outside during a sudden shower that could be damaged by rain.
How did you build it?
I was able to have IFTTT AI create this automation for me. I simply said, “Text me and turn the floor lamp blue when it rains in the next hour.” It only took a few seconds, but when it was complete, I was able to view and verify each step. Below is a screenshot of what it looks like.
IFTTT is a powerful tool for creating lots of different automations that work with almost any service you need.
Limit musical repetition
This automation is especially useful for anyone with children who have become obsessed with a song, need to hear it repeatedly, and have figured out how to make their smart speaker comply. With this mind-saving automation, you can allow it Smart speaker Be the villain for yourself and program it to skip the song before it starts.
The genius of this automation is its simplicity. You tell the voice assistant that when you make a request for a song like, say, “Baby Shark,” the assistant takes action and the automation overrides the request.
How did you build it?
This automation is built in Or the Alexa app, depending on your smart home setup. The process is almost the same for both. I’ll drop the screenshots below so you can see how they look in each app.
1. Add custom automation/routines.
2. Choose your voice as start or trigger.
3. Type or say the phrase you want the voice assistant to hear.
4. Save and then select the action you want the automation process to take after the trigger.
5. He chooses advertisement Write or say a specific phrase for the speaker to say.
6. Save automation.
Sometimes, hearing a song 100 times in a row can ruin it, but with smart home automation, you can avoid burnout.
Increase your alarm level
Setting an alarm on a smart speaker is common, whether you set it to wake you up in the morning or to keep you on task during the day. For some, a standard alarm isn’t enough to get them out of bed. By harnessing the power of automation, you can trigger all the bells and whistles you need to help you move forward.
I have an alarm set for 6am, along with an automation that turns the bedroom lights on to 100% and plays “It’s a Beautiful Morning” by The Rascals at 75% volume from the speaker in my room.
How did you build it?
You’ve built this automation entirely within a Google or Amazon platform app. The steps and procedures will depend on you and your smart home setup, as well as your music preferences.
A basic alarm will not always do the job, so automation that can trigger multiple actions at once is used to solve the problem.
Game time mood
Alexa Sports lets you create automations around the start, end, and/or halftime of your favorite team’s game. You can ask Alexa to send you a notification and turn on the TV. You can go a step further by setting the TV volume to a certain level and launching the app with which you watch sports.
I set up Alexa to read a custom phrase and turn the Govee Floor Lamp red. It’s not a very complicated automation process, but it’s fun and adds to the atmosphere of the game.
How did you build it?
Smart home automations are great for upping the game to make the experience more immersive and exciting.
These examples barely scratch the surface of what’s possible inside Amazon Alexa and Google Home smart home devices when leveraging automation processes. Add third-party organization services like IFTTT and you open the door to a more useful smart home experience.
It’s not always about the complexity of the automation, it’s about getting the desired results you want from your products and services. Making your smart home do exactly what you want it to do is a very rewarding experience, and automation is key.
Read more: Best smart plugs of 2025
It’s a multi-step process, and it’s actually simpler than it looks. You need to choose a smart home ecosystem and get your hands on a smart home hub. From there, you can add your favorite devices to the system as you wish.
It’s a personal matter, but smart home devices offer a lot of convenience and efficiency. They also help save energy and improve the security of your home. If you don’t mind paying the initial cost, upgrading usually pays off in the long run.