Simple ways to automate everyday life (without rewiring your whole house)
When we bought our 1960s house, “smart home” was the last thing on my mind. I pictured futuristic new builds with complicated wiring and expensive systems, definitely not an older home like ours with creaky floors, quirky wiring, and zero built-in tech.
But little by little, we started adding simple upgrades as a basic smart home setup, and something surprising happened: our home began working for us instead of the other way around.
Lights turned on without thinking. Window treatments opened with the sunrise. The kids could be called to dinner without yelling. Even our house started smelling cozy on schedule (which feels like a small miracle).
The best part is most of these upgrades required no rewiring, no major renovations, and no tech wizardry. (Believe it not, I’m convinced I’m the least tech-minded blogger on the planet. Computers kind of baffle me.)
If you live in an older home and want everyday life to feel easier, smoother, and a little more peaceful, here are our favorite ways to make it happen.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. full disclosure
Start With the Command Center: A Digital Family Calendar
One of the biggest game-changers for our daily life has been switching from paper chaos to a wall-mounted digital calendar.
We use our Skylight Calendar, but any shared digital calendar works beautifully.
Related: Our Family’s Skylight Calendar Review – What You Need to Know
Why it helps:
- Everyone’s schedule syncs automatically
- Grocery lists + meal plans in one place
- Chore tracking for kids
- Reminders for everything (appointments, field trips, sports, etc.)
- Turns into digital art when idle so it looks pretty, not techy
It keeps the entire household aligned without sticky notes everywhere.
You simply mount it and plug it in. No special wiring needed. (Although, we did have a recessed outlet installed to help us hide the cord, but that’s completely optional for aesthetic purposes.)
Add Cozy Automation With Smart Fragrance
This one sounds small, but it genuinely changes the feel of a home. We invested in Pura smart fragrance diffusers a couple of years ago and have been fans ever since.
Smart fragrance diffusers (like Pura) let you:
- Schedule scents by time of day
- Switch fragrances seasonally
- Adjust intensity from your phone
- Enjoy cozy scent without lighting candles
Morning = fresh and clean
Evening = warm and cozy
And they alert you on your phone when cartridges need replacing.
It’s one of those quiet little luxuries that makes home feel intentional.
Smart Plugs: The Simplest Way to Start
If you try just one thing, start with a smart plug. It makes anything you plug in instantly smart.
Smart plugs automate everyday items:
- Lamps turn on at sunset
- Coffee maker starts in the morning
- Christmas tree lights run on a schedule
- Wax warmers shut off automatically
- Fans, humidifiers, speakers all hands-free
No rewiring. No electrician. Just plug in, set schedules in your Alexa app, and go.
Smart Lighting With Lutron Switches & Dimmers
This is where a home truly begins to feel “smart.” Our electrician recommended Lutron smart switches during our media room makeover a couple of years ago.
Smart switches allow you to:
- Control lights from your phone or voice
- Create lighting scenes (Morning / Evening / Movie Night)
- Schedule lights automatically at sunset
- Dim lights without changing bulbs
- Keep working even during Wi-Fi outages
Many Lutron models don’t require a neutral wire, which makes them perfect for older homes.
Upgrade Security With a Smart Doorbell
A simple but powerful addition. It seems like most homeowners have smart doorbells now, but if you’re one of the few who don’t, they provide so much peace of mind.
- See who’s at the door from anywhere
- Talk to visitors remotely
- Motion detection alerts
- Monitor packages
- Adds security without installing a full system
Especially helpful for older homes that weren’t built with modern security.
Smart Home Security System
Along with the doorbell, we have gained so much peace of mind since we installed our smart home security system with security cameras set up around every exterior angle of our home so we can always monitor our safety from our phones.
Automatic Curtains (Yes, Really)
Your curtains can literally close automatically at sunset with SwitchBot. Wild. Just close the curtains with the push of a button in the living room for family movie night or schedule curtains to open in bedrooms at sunrise.
With a small device like a SwitchBot curtain opener, you can:
- Wake up with natural light
- Close curtains at sunset automatically
- Automate hard-to-reach windows
- Add calm to your day that syncs with your natural circadian rhythm
Pairing this with sunrise lighting makes mornings feel peaceful instead of rushed. (It’s even more impactful with a sunrise alarm clock.)
One of the most underrated upgrades for families! Rather than yelling up the stairs to communicate with your kids, you can sync Echo Dot Kids with an Echo Hub or Echo Show to use as a wireless home intercom system.
Using an Amazon Echo with Echo Dots in other rooms, you can:
- Call kids to dinner without yelling
- Broadcast reminders throughout the house
- Talk room-to-room instantly
- Play music everywhere
It makes an older home feel connected even with separate rooms and closed floor plans.
Smart Thermostat = Comfort + Energy Savings
Older homes are famous for uneven temperatures, and a smart thermostat helps balance things out. If you don’t have one yet, it’s definitely time to get on board.
- Learns your daily schedule
- Adjusts temperature automatically
- Saves energy when you’re away
- Control from your phone anytime
Comfort improves, and energy waste drops without constant adjustment.
Robot Vacuum: The Everyday Helper
This one saves time every single day. Sadly, a robot vacuum doesn’t work super well for our home because we have high thresholds. But if we didn’t have this problem, we would absolutely take advantage of one of these.
- Runs on a schedule
- Cleans while you’re out
- Great for hardwood floors
- Helps reduce dust in older homes
- A lifesaver for pet hair and kids
It’s like having a tiny helper keeping things tidy.
Smart Leak Detectors (Peace of Mind for Older Homes)
If you own an older home, smart leak detectors are a must! (We have experienced several leaks and learned the hard way before investing in these.)
Place near:
- Washing machine
- Dishwasher
- Water heater
- Under sinks
- Toilets
- HVAC condensation drip line (If we’d had a leak detector here a few years ago, it would have saved us thousands of dollars from a major water disaster in our attic.)
You’ll get an instant phone alert if water is detected potentially saving lots of money in damage.
Smart Garage Door Controller
Simple but a smart garage door opener is incredibly helpful.
- Check if garage is open from your phone
- Close remotely
- Open automatically when you arrive home
- Adds security to older garages
No more “Did I leave the garage open?” moments or having to call you neighbor to ask them to close your garage for you.
Keyless Simplicity With Smart Locks
Giving friends or family (or even a trusted contractor) access to our home is so much easier with smart locks, if we’re not home to let them in.
- No lost keys
- Unlock with a code or phone
- Temporary guest codes
- Auto-lock feature
- Perfect for kids coming home from school
It’s convenience and peace of mind in one upgrade.
Smart Blinds & Shades (Optional Upgrade)
We put up smart shades a few years ago, and they were nice, BUT they were a pain to charge. However, these SmartWings motorized window shades have solar charging capability, so you don’t even have to think about them.
Great for:
- Bedrooms
- Sunrooms
- Hard-to-reach windows
Schedule opening and closing for privacy, comfort, and energy efficiency.
The Real Magic: Smart Home Routines
The real transformation happens when everything works together. You can see my go-to smart home setup here.
Most smart devices can be connected in the Amazon Alexa app, so you can sync your entire home and set schedules that work seamlessly with your daily routine.
It’s so nice to simply say, “Good morning, Alexa” and your entire home springs to life to serve you better.
Morning Routine
- Curtains open
- Lights turn on softly
- Coffee maker starts
- Weather + calendar read aloud
- Thermostat adjusts
Similarly, set up your home so that when you say, “Good night, Alexa”, your home powers down for the evening. Or just set a schedule and it does everything automatically without you saying a word.
Night Routine
- Doors lock
- Lights dim
- Curtains close
- Diffuser switches to evening scent
- White noise (or soft music) turns on
That’s when a home truly starts working for you.
Here are all of the smart home devices we use and/or recommend to streamline your home. Connect every device to your Alexa app and you’re done.
Turning an older home into a smart home isn’t about filling it with gadgets. It’s about removing friction from everyday life: fewer forgotten lights, fewer repeated tasks, fewer small annoyances.
We didn’t do it all at once. We added one upgrade at a time. And slowly, our home became calmer, easier, and more supportive of our daily routines.
Once you start, it’s hard to stop.
More Ways to Streamline Your Life at Home
