Hey everyone, just wanted to share my journey of going full smart-home on a tight-ish budget using mostly Aqara gear. I’m more of an enthusiast than a pro, so if I can pull this off, pretty sure anyone can.
Started out with the basics — a hub and a few motion sensors. Hooked them up to control hallway and bathroom lights. I still remember the first time I walked past and the lights popped on like magic That dopamine hit was real.
Then I got brave (or reckless lol) and added door sensors, switches, LED controllers — all Aqara. The thing is, a lot of this stuff is super affordable but still reliable. I set up automations like:
- Front door opens at night? Living room lights come on dim
- Wake-up time? Bedroom blinds open and heater kicks in
- No one in the kitchen for 10 min? Lights off to save power
Everything’s tied together through Apple Home & the Aqara app. No crazy wiring or server setups. Plus, I scored most of the devices during sales, so total cost stayed way lower than I expected.
If you’ve been on the fence about diving into home automation, definitely start small with Aqara. It’s not just cost-effective — it’s fun as heck to build and tweak your own smart home.
Happy to share what automations I’ve done or help out if anyone’s stuck. What’s your favorite cost-saving smart setup?