101 Ideas for Smart Home Automation in 2023

Do you want to make your home smarter or like the idea of more automation in your home to provide more time for family activities? If so, you’re in luck! In this blog post, we will list 101 home automation ideas that will make your life easier.

Whether you want to control your lighting with your voice, keep your home cleaner with cleaning automation, or save on energy costs, we have tons of ideas to give your home that peaceful environment and techy feel you’ve been looking for.

We’ll also discuss some of the latest smart home technology trends and how you can incorporate them into your home. So what are you waiting for? Start reading and get inspired!

What is home automation?

Home automation is the use of technology to automate tasks in your home. This can include anything from controlling your lights and appliances with only your voice to integrating your home’s security system to start running your robot vacuum when you leave the house, or even a touchless kitchen faucet that keeps high-touch areas germ-free and conserves water.

Automating your home can make your life easier and help you save money on energy costs. In addition, many home automation products are now controlled by voice, so almost anyone in the family can operate them easily.

What are the best home automation ideas for 2023?

Here is my list of ideas for trendy smart home automation that is sure to impress your friends and family. Let’s dive in.

1) Smart Lighting Ideas

One of the most popular home automation ideas is to install smart lights. Smart lights allow you to control your home lighting with your voice, phone, or tablet. You can also set schedules and timers so that your lights turn on and off when you want them to. This is a great way to save energy and money on your electricity bill.

1) Dimming smart light bulbs

Smart light bulbs dim to only 10-15% use during late night hours to give you light without being too bright. This way you can grab a snack or water without waking up everyone in the house.

2) Lighting reminders

When you leave the back door open the interior lights flash to let you know or program all of your house lights to turn off when it is time for bed to let you know it’s time to get some rest.

3) Smart lighting scenes

Voice commands to tell your google home that it is time to watch a movie that dims the lighting or shuts the smart lights off automatically and turns on (if installed) LED light strips to give low illumination similar to the movie theater.

4) Lighting control from your phone

Smart light switches that can be accessed from your phone. That way if you forgot to turn off the garage lights you don’t have to get out of bed and trek downstairs to turn it off just tap a button on your phone.

5) Motion sensors & lighting

Motion sensors can be programmed to turn on your lights upon entering the room and off almost immediately after you exit.

6) Door & window sensors for smart lighting

Door and window sensors can be used in bathrooms to turn on a light and fan when someone shuts the door and turn it off when to door is opened again. This way the bathroom light never accidentally gets left on.

7) Smart LED light strips

LED light strips that are installed under cabinets in the bathroom give you just enough colorful lighting without fully waking you up in the middle of the night.

8) Using Smart Plugs for lighting

A Smart Plug can control just about anything in your home. How about plugging in a lamp to one and setting it to only turn on from 5 pm-10 pm so you have ambient lighting to get you ready for sleep mode?

9) Holiday light control

Smart plugs that control holiday lights and Christmas trees to turn on and off at pre-determined times, this way you know you aren’t running up a huge electric bill at night.

10) Smart lamps and nightlights

The smart plug that you can voice control to tell it to turn on a lamp or nightlight.

11) No more touching light switches

Smart lights automatically turn on when a motion sensor detects a person in the room.

12) Smart lighting for safety purposes

All the lights in the home turn on when the security/smoke/carbon monoxide detector alarm goes off.

13) Automated outdoor lighting

Lighting automation that controls the porch lights to turn on and off at set times of the night.

14) Timed lighting with automatic shutoff

Smart switch lighting that is on a timer, when you push a light at night it shuts off after 30 seconds, in the day it shuts off after 1 minute.

15) Voice control & lighting

Smart lights are activated by your voice so you don’t have to get out of the chair to dim them or turn off the lighting.

2) Smart Security Home Automation Ideas

One of the most popular smart home devices of 2023 is a home security system that integrates with your whole home. These products usually include a smart doorbell, smart locks for your door that automatically lock behind you, or door and window sensors that notify you when they are opened.

1) Automatic home security

Home security system programmed to arm your home at a set time of night and disarm in the morning. That way you never forget to arm it.

2) Away mode ideas

Program your ceiling fans to come on and Alexa to play calming dog music when your home security system is set to away. Your dog can thank me later for this tip.

3) Smart blinds

When you leave the house your smart blinds close all the windows so no one can see inside the house.

4) Automatic smart locks

Automatic smart locks can give you peace of mind knowing that your exterior doors are always locked, and if you get one with a digital passcode you no longer have to carry your house key or fear getting locked out of the house.

5) Smart lock notifications

Smart lock on your garage or back doors that notify you when they are opened.

6) Smart doorbell ideas

Ring doorbell cameras can be programmed to play spooky ghost sounds during fall when someone rings your doorbell, you can also have it sing Christmas carols in winter.

7) Window Security

Program your security system to sound the alarm when a door or window is opened during the night so you can rest assured your home is safe while you sleep.

8) Garage Security ideas

Garage Door Sensors can notify you on your phone when the door is opened or shut, giving you the heads up that someone just got home. You can also open and close the door from your phone and no longer need a garage remote control.

9) Fire security ideas

Fire Detecting sensors can be integrated with your current fire alarm and notify you on your phone if there is a fire while you are away.

3) Smart Notification Ideas

Smart notifications are the chimes you get on your phone from any smart device in your home. These can be very helpful for reminding you to do something or keep you safe by letting you know something is going on at home.

1) Water Leak Notifications

Flood Detectors can be placed under or near washing machines and other water products to notify your cell phone if there is a water leak or flood in the house.

2) Motion alerts

Motion sensors can be set to notify you if there is motion around your home or in your yard at any time of day. They can also be programmed to chime in the house to notify you when there is motion at a specific sensor.

3) Carbon Monoxide alerts

Carbon Monoxide detectors notify you if they go off and notify you on your home security app or cell phone.

4) Smart kitchen appliances

The oven notifies you when it is preheated so you can put that frozen pizza in at the perfect temperature.

5) Garage door notifications

Garage door notifications for when it is opened or closed.

6) Visitor notifications

A smart doorbell notifies you when there is a person detected.

7) Door & window notifications

Get notified when specific doors or windows are opened in the house.

8) Sleep reminder notifications

Set a notification to remind you when it is time to shut off the tv and get ready for bed.

4) Climate Control Automation

Ready for some more home automation ideas? How about a smart thermostat that can learn your desired temperatures over time and save you money on your electric bill.

1) Smart temperature

Program your smart thermostat to conserve energy by reducing the desired temperatures when you are away from home.

2) Smart blinds and curtains

Smart blinds can be programmed to open and close to keep the house cool during the day.

3) Smart air quality

Smart plugs can control specific fans in the home to turn on when you enter a room or program an air purifier to go while you are watching tv.

4) Ceiling fans

You can program ceiling fans to turn on or off when you leave the house to either keep the air cool and circulating or shut off to save electricity.

5) Energy-Friendly Ideas

1) Solar power

Solar-powered homes are taking the world by storm right now. You can greatly decrease the amount of energy you use from the grid each month by having solar panels run your home during sunlight hours.

2) Generators

Solar-powered generators are also a great idea if you want to power your home during a power outage or even go off-grid.

3) Smart air conditioning

Smart Thermostat again tops the list for energy-efficient home automation ideas. These smart devices can learn the temperatures you like to keep your home at throughout the year and over time will change the climate without you ever having to touch it. You can also program them to energy-saving modes to help you lower your energy bill.

4) Electic bill credits

Install a smart thermostat and get a money-back bonus from your electric company. Check your local company to see if you can qualify.

5) Smart blinds for temperature control

Smart blinds can keep shutters shut when the sun is beaming in the window and open again when it is safe to do so.

6) Control devices while you are away

Smart plugs can help you control devices that you don’t want to turn on and off every day, but you also don’t want to be left on all day long. (Examples: a lamp, fish light, Christmas tree, etc.)

6) Smart Home Tech Ideas

1) Mesh router systems

TP-LINK Mesh Router Systems can extend your Wi-Fi to your home office or garage where you maybe don’t get such a great signal. They are also really easy to set up with your existing network.

2) Smart family pictures

Wi-fi picture frames can be a great idea for sending photos to loved ones or just having a slideshow of your photos for guests to see when they come over.

3) Smart Plugs

Smart plugs give you control over just about anything you plug into it. Lights, fish tanks, and heated blankets can all be set to automatically turn on and off when you want them to.

4) Door / Window sensors

Door / Window sensors for instant notifications on your phone as well as controlling automated lighting in the home.

5) Smart power strips

Smart Power Strips (KASA) for anything that needs a lot of plugs, this could be home light displays during the holidays, or your home theater system.

6) Portable smart speakers

Portable Smart Speakers can be set up in each room of your home and linked to Wi-Fi to play a song all over the house, or to wake everyone up in the morning.

7) Smart home hub

Smart Home Hub can connect all your compatible smart devices together to access them all on a single device.

8) Smart scale

Smart Scale is another idea for updating your home to a smart home. Smart scales can keep profiles for you and help you track your weight, BMI, and more in an app.

9) Smart printers

A smart printer that uses Wi-Fi to print from anywhere in the home, even from your phone.

10) Smart toilets

A smart toilet for the bathrooms to give you the opportunity to feel luxurious when you have to go.

7) Automated Entertainment Ideas

1) Smart television

Smart Televisions can be programmed to turn on when you arrive home and start playing your favorite show or station.

2) Streaming devices

Apple TV Streaming Device is one of the absolute best streaming devices for the smart home enthusiast with voice command options and downloadable apps. It is also a lightning-fast device for pulling up your favorite shows in no time.

3) Smart home theater hub

Smart Home Hub can be programmed to control multiple devices at once, so if you are having a dinner party you can control lighting, and music, check the doorbell, and keep an eye on your cooking all at once on the hub.

4) Smart scenes

Smart “Scenes” can be activated with your smart home automation to start a party or help you relax. My family likes to tell Alexa, “It’s Switch Time!” to turn on our switch and change our living room lights to red and green for some Mario Kart fun. The possibilities are endless.

8) Voice Control Ideas

1) Alexa

Alexa can be integrated with all your compatible smart home devices to help you control your home with just your voice.

2) Google Home

Google Home is another popular smart home platform that integrates with many smart home devices and can provide a whole smart home system for a great price.

3) Siri Home Speaker

Siri speaker is another home automation idea that gives you voice control over multiple smart devices in the home, plus it has great audio quality too.

9) Cleaning Automation Ideas

1) Robot Vacuum

A robot vacuum cleaner can be programmed to start cleaning when you leave the house so you don’t have to hear the noise and you come home to clean floors.

2) Smart air fresheners

Smart air fresheners can be set to disperse on a timer or from an app to keep your home smelling wonderful 24/7.

3) Robot mop

Put out a robot mop and enjoy the beauty of home automation helping your easily clean your home.

4) Touchless soap dispenser

A touchless soap dispenser that gives your kitchen or bathroom a modern touch.

5) Chore reminders

Program Alexa to remind you of specific chores. Example: take out the trash bins, feed the dog, or pay the rent.

6) Smart air purification

Smart Air Purification systems are another good smart technology that you might not have thought of. Most new air purifiers can be controlled through Alexa or from your phone.

7) Laundry sensors

Wireless laundry sensors are one of my favorite home automation ideas for 2023. No more running the de-wrinkle cycle 10 times before remembering to actually get the clothes out while they are fresh, just get a ping on your phone when it’s time to grab those clothes from the dryer.

10) Kitchen Automation Ideas

1) Touchless kitchen faucet

Touchless kitchen faucets – these kitchen faucets automatically turn on when you wave your hand or place your hand near the sensor, this can be perfect for when you are cooking and don’t want to dirty the faucet handle with germs.

2) Smart coffee maker

Keurig (smart) coffee maker – this one has been around for a little while now but I still think it’s amazing that you can get your coffee ready at night and wake up to the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

3) Touchless bins

Touchless Trash / Recycling bin – Touchless is the way to go if you want to automate your cleaning in the home. A touchless trash bin can reduce germs and keep things looking clean in the kitchen.

4) Smart refrigerator

Smart Refrigerator – smart refrigerators can do so much these days, notify you when food expires, send you a ping if the fridge door is left open for too long, and so much more.

5) Smart oven

Smart Oven – preheat the oven on your way home from work so you can pop that pizza in immediately when you arrive home.

6) Sous Vide smart cooker

Sous Vide Smart Cooker can cook many foods (including steaks) to the perfect tender juiciness without you having to do a thing. Just start it up and you’ll get a ping on your phone when your steaks are finished.

11) Pet Automation Ideas

1) Dog food automation

Fresh Dog Food Subscriptions are a great way to automate your dog’s meals while also providing high-quality, human-grade ingredients to your pooch. These subscriptions come straight to your door so you never run out of food.

2) Pet toys automated

Dog Toy Subscription Boxes are a great way to keep your pup happy while creating the convenience of automation in your home. These boxes come monthly to provide new treats, toys, and chews for your dog. They can even help you train your dog a new trick every month.

3) Automatic feeders

An automatic pet food dispenser is a great home automation idea don’t stop just with humans, pets can have fun with smart devices too by getting their meals delivered each day by an automatic food dispenser.

4) Pet cameras

Pet Cameras are a great smart device to have if you miss your dog or cat while you are away working, you can pop up and say hi to them to make them (but mostly you) feel better.

5) Pet treat dispenser

Pet Treat Dispenser – some cameras are designed specifically with pets in mind and you can actually say hi and pop a treat out at them through your phone. Your pet will think you are a magician, which you basically are.

6) Robot pet toys

Pet Toy Robots – toy robots for pets can be a game changer for bored, lonely pets. These smart devices can entertain your fur babies while you are away and help them burn off energy during the daytime.

12) Smart Tech for Kids

1) Kids Alexa speaker

Kids Alexa Speaker – these speakers are designed for kids to be able and are colorful and painted like animals. These speakers can also play ocean sounds, or other relaxing sounds for kids at night if they are afraid of the dark it can be very helpful.

2) Childrens smart nightlight

Kids Smart Nightlight – another great smart home device you can get from Amazon is a kid’s smart nightlight. You can program it to turn on at night for specific times and change colors to help your kids fall asleep.

13) Yard Automation

1) Smart sprinklers

Smart sprinkler system – a home automation system that will help with your water bill is a sprinkler system that works over Wi-Fi and knows the weather patterns. If it is expected to rain your sprinklers won’t run and you can program them to run before sunrise or after sunset for best watering results.

2) Robot lawn mower

Robot Lawn Mower – these smart home devices are still fairly new to the market but can help you get that much-needed yard works done more easily.

3) Traeger grill

Traeger Grill – the Traeger grill is a smart outdoor device that works from an app on your phone, you can smoke ribs for 24+ hours and know exactly when they reach the perfect temperature.

4) Motion spotlights

Motion Spotlights – these are outdoor lights that are triggered by a motion sensor at night these can be in combination with your home security automation and include a camera if you want. It is an easy way to help protect your front door at night.

More Ideas Coming Soon!

Final Thoughts

There are a ton of ideas in this blog post for automating your home to make life easier, including smart devices for lighting, coffee makers, thermostats, trash bins, ovens, and sous vide cookers.

You can also automate your pet’s food and toys with monthly subscriptions, as well as get a camera to keep an eye on them while you’re away. And don’t forget the kids with a kid-friendly Alexa speaker and smart nightlight.

Do you have any home automation ideas that we didn’t mention? Let us know! And be sure to check out our other blog posts for more great tips on automating your home and our reviews of the best smart home device. Happy automating!