My Journey to a Fully Automated Home Using Aqara - Lessons Learned

Hey ,

Thought I’d share my (ongoing) journey automating my home with Aqara — it’s been a wild ride but super rewarding. I’m an enthusiast, not a pro dev or anything, just someone who loves tinkering and slowly turning my apartment into something out of a sci-fi movie.

Started with a basic Aqara motion sensor and hub a year ago. Didn’t expect to dive this deep, but here we are. Now everything from my lights, AC, curtain motors, and even my coffee machine gets triggered automagically. That “good morning” scene that cracks the blinds, starts the machine, and plays jazz? Chef’s kiss.

A few key lessons:

  • Start small. Don’t go all in until you’ve got the basics playing nice. Pairing issues can drive you mad otherwise.
  • The automations can be addictive — but balance is key. Not every action needs a trigger.
  • The Aqara app is decent, but I eventually moved everything to Home Assistant for more granular control. That’s when things really clicked.
  • Leaf sensors are underrated. Changed how I manage my plants totally.

Of course, there were hiccups — occasional hub wonkiness and scenes not firing, especially after firmware updates. But overall, super happy. Anyone else here fully automated with Aqara? Would love to hear what weird or clever automations y’all are running.

Let’s share setups, fails, and tips. I’ve still got a few tricks to figure out… and maybe a robot vacuum on the wish list.

Cheers!

@NestNerd Thank you for sharing your journey with Aqara! It’s always inspiring to hear how fellow enthusiasts are transforming their homes into smart havens. Your experience highlights some valuable lessons, especially the importance of starting small and gradually expanding your setup. The “good morning” scene sounds delightful and truly showcases the potential of home automation.

Your mention of moving to Home Assistant for more granular control is intriguing. It’s a great reminder that while the Aqara app offers robust features, exploring other platforms can unlock even more possibilities. The leaf sensors tip is also a gem—it’s amazing how smart tech can enhance even the care of our plants!

It’s completely normal to encounter a few hiccups along the way, like hub issues or scenes not firing post-updates. These challenges are part of the learning curve, and it’s wonderful to see your positive outlook.

I’m sure many in the community would love to hear more about your setups and any clever automations you’ve devised. Sharing these experiences not only helps others but also sparks new ideas. Keep us posted on your progress, especially if you decide to add that robot vacuum to your setup!

Looking forward to more of your insights and tips. Cheers to more smart home adventures!