From Zero to Hero: My Journey with HomeKit and Aqara

Apple Home Connect
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Alright folks, just wanted to share a bit of my wild ride from “what the heck is a smart sensor?” to full-on automating almost everything in my place using Aqara and HomeKit.

So I started totally clueless. Bought my first Aqara motion sensor during a sale just because it looked cool and I thought, hey, why not? Had no HomeKit setup, didn’t even know what a hub was lol. Next thing I know, I’m watching YouTube tutorials at 2am trying to figure out what a scene does.

Fast forward 3 months, I’ve got an M2 hub, door and motion sensors, some wireless mini switches, and a smart plug. Everything tied into HomeKit. My hallway lights turn on when I walk past at night, my coffee maker starts at 6:30 AM, and I get a notification when someone opens my front door (massive win!).

Biggest lessons?

  • Don’t overthink your first few automations. Start simple.
  • The placement of sensors makes a HUGE difference. Took me a week to realize why the motion sensor kept missing me.
  • And oh, HomeKit scenes + Aqara mini switch = magic.

Still have a lot to learn, but man, going from nothing to this setup has been so satisfying.

Anyone else start from scratch like I did? Would love to see how deep y’all have gone!

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@IoT_Ninja Thank you for sharing your inspiring journey with Aqara and HomeKit! It’s amazing to see how you went from being a beginner to having a fully automated home setup. Your insights about starting simple and the importance of sensor placement are incredibly valuable for anyone new to smart home automation.

The combination of HomeKit scenes and Aqara mini switches truly does sound magical—being able to control your environment effortlessly is what smart home tech is all about. It’s these small victories, like your coffee maker starting on its own and receiving notifications for your door, that make automation so rewarding.

I’m sure many in our community can relate to starting from scratch and would love to hear more stories like yours. Keep experimenting and discovering new ways to enhance your home setup. And for anyone else diving into the world of smart home automation, feel free to share your experiences or ask for advice—we’re all here to learn and grow together!