Top 20 smart home routines and automations

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

With smart home ecosystems evolving rapidly, it’s never been easier to automate your daily routines and make your tech work for you.

From Google Home and Amazon Alexa to Apple HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings, each platform offers unique capabilities and integrations, while Matter – a new smart home standard – ensures better cross-platform compatibility than ever before.

At the heart of every smart home platform is an engine ready for you to create ideas and recipes – Amazon Alexa, Google Home and SmartThings all call this section Routines while Apple uses the moniker Home Automations.

But whatever platform you use, it’s super simple to make your life more straightforward with your tech doing what you want it to do, when you want it to.

Read on for 20 of the best smart home routines and automations that can work across any platform or brands, giving you practical inspiration for your setup, regardless of the technology you use.

Best smart home automation ideas

Good morning routine

Kick off the day with a multi-step routine that turns on specific lights in your bedroom and kitchen, gradually brightens them to mimic sunrise, and sets the thermostat to your ideal wake-up temperature.

Add in a smart plug that turns on the coffee maker, and set your smart speaker to play a morning news briefing and then turn to your favorite radio station.

This routine could be started with a voice command or, if you have a set schedule, you could have it set as a timer based routine.

Good night

A nighttime routine to ensures everything is securely shut down as you wind down… Program it to turn off all downstairs lights, lock smart locks on doors, activate cameras, arm a smart alarm system and set the thermostat to a cooler overnight temperature.

You could even have it start a white noise machine in your bedroom and lower the blinds to help you fall asleep faster.

Kids’ bedtime

Help your kids ease into bedtime by dimming lights over a gradual period, shutting off TVs and game systems, and starting a soothing playlist or audiobook in their bedrooms.

Many routines allow you to add a ‘wait’ period, so that could be used to allow for a period of time for a bath, as well.

It’s also an idea to have a robot vacuum cleaner start downstairs to tidy up the dinner mess before you head back downstairs to relax.

Pet feeding reminder

Keep your pets on a feeding schedule with reminders or automate a smart feeder if you’re not home.

You can set this to go off at specific times daily and even get a notification confirming the feeder was activated, ensuring your pets are taken care of even if you’re tied up with work or errands.

You could also connect a pet camera to monitor their activity.

Vacation mode

Set up a vacation mode that can randomly turn lights on and off in various rooms and even play audio from smart speakers from time to time, to create the illusion that someone’s home.

Smart blinds could also be programmed to open and close, while smart sprinklers and vacuums can be set to maintain the yard and floors, adding to your peace of mind while away.

Arriving home

Using location tracking, this routine senses when you’re approaching home and can start a series of actions… think alarm systems disarming, lights turning on in entry areas, thermostat adjusting to a comfortable temperature, and your favorite playlist can even start up.

You could also customize this to include unlocking the door if you prefer hands-free entry.

Leaving the house

As you leave, this automation powers down all non-essential devices using smart plugs, adjusts the thermostat for energy savings and locks the door. It’s also a good time to get the robot vacuum cleaners working while nobody is home.

For added security, you can set your cameras to activate, and if you have smart blinds or curtains, close them to protect your home from prying eyes.

Laundry notifications

Avoid forgotten laundry by setting up notifications that alert you when a washer or dryer cycle finishes.

Smart laundry machines can trigger this automatically, or you can create a timer-based routine that reminds you when it’s time to swap or retrieve clothes. You could even add an energy monitoring plus to the mix that will alert you when a machine is using less power… i.e. the cycle has finished.

Weather-based adjustments

Responding to daily weather conditions can make a big difference in comfort and energy use. On colder days, smart thermostats can warm your home before you wake, and during heat waves, blinds can close automatically to block sunlight and air-conditioning units can kick in.

Home office focus mode

If you work from home, you can create a focus-friendly environment by dimming unnecessary lights, activating white noise or instrumental playlists, and setting your doorbell to a “Do Not Disturb” mode to minimize interruptions.

Personalized evening wind-down

Wind down with a routine designed just for you, dimming lights throughout your home, turning on a smart diffuser with relaxing essential oils, and cueing up the latest series you’re binging on Netflix.

You could also have the downstairs blinds close and your surround sound speakers turn on.

Exercise time

Transform your living room or office into a mini-gym with an automation that activates a workout playlist, adjusts lighting to energizing levels, and turns on any connected fitness equipment.

You could also have smart plugs turn fans on and dehumidifiers kick in to mop up all that stinky sweat.

Outdoor light automation

Improve outdoor security and visibility by setting lights to come on at sunset and switch off at sunrise.

You can also program them to activate when motion is detected, providing you with real-time illumination and potentially deterring any unwanted guests.

Family movie night

Create the perfect atmosphere for family movie time by dimming lights, setting the sound system, and powering up your streaming device with the service you subscribe to.

For extra immersion, include options like curtain closers or smart lights from the likes of Govee or Hue, that match screen colors, bringing the theater experience home.

Home cleaning

If you have a robotic vacuum or mop, schedule it to start cleaning while everyone is out.

Paired with air purifiers or scent diffusers, this routine keeps your home fresh and dust-free, all without requiring hands-on management.

Humidity control

Monitor indoor humidity with smart sensors and use a dehumidifier to regulate the environment automatically.

This is especially useful in bathrooms, basements, or rooms prone to moisture, helping to prevent mold or mildew and maintaining comfort.

Indoor plant care

Set up grow lights for specific hours or use a sensor to monitor soil moisture, activating a smart water pump if needed.

This way, your plants thrive with just the right amount of light and water, all managed by a routine.

Smart security

Enhance home security with a comprehensive routine that goes way beyond just turning on a smart alarm.

For example, when someone rings the doorbell, have lights turn on around your property, and cameras activate, streaming video to your smart display.

Guest arrival

This routine can be triggered when someone presses a specific doorbell button or uses a unique door code. It could turn on lights in the entryway and living room, adjust the thermostat to a comfortable temperature, and even start a welcome playlist on a smart speaker.

Garden watering

Automate your garden watering schedule based on weather conditions and soil moisture levels.

Smart sprinklers can be programmed to turn on and off at specific times, adjusting the duration based on rainfall data.

Wake-Up light simulation

Instead of a blaring alarm, set up a wake-up light simulation to help you wake gradually. Smart bulbs can increase brightness slowly over 15–30 minutes, and often have specific settings to mimick sunrise, which can be easier on your body and mind.

Pair this with your favorite wake-up song or weather briefing to start your morning gently but effectively.

Package delivery

Use outdoor cameras and motion sensors to alert you when a package arrives. Configure the system to send a notification to your phone, flash specific lights, or even play a sound through smart speakers indoors.

You can add extra security by setting the camera to take a snapshot of each visitor, helping to keep an eye on deliveries and deterring potential theft.

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