10 Starter Smart-Home Routines: Morning, Away, Bedtime and Vacation
Ten simple smart-home routines that beginners actually keep using, what devices each needs, and how to set them up in Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home.
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The best first routines save a step you do every day: lights on at sunset, everything off when you leave, a warm-white bedtime scene. Each routine below works with plugs, bulbs and a few optional sensors, and can be built in Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home.
A routine (Apple calls them automations) is a rule: when something happens, if a condition is true, then do something. This guide gives you ten recipes, written from each platform's public documentation, not hands-on product reviews. Exact menu names differ by app and change with updates.
Before you start
- Name devices clearly ("Bedroom lamp," not "Plug 2"), and assign them to rooms.
- Set your home address or location in the app, so sunrise, sunset and arrival triggers work.
- Start with one routine, live with it for a week, then add another.
Morning
1. Gentle wake-up
When: your weekday alarm time. Then: bedroom smart bulb fades from dim warm white to bright cool white over 10 to 20 minutes (if your app supports fading), and the hallway lamp turns on.
Needs: a smart bulb; a smart plug for the hallway lamp.
2. Coffee and news
When: you say "good morning." Then: kitchen lights on, a smart plug turns on a coffee maker with a mechanical switch and auto shut-off, and your speaker reads the weather.
Safety note: only use a coffee maker that the manual says can be switched on at the outlet, and never leave heating appliances scheduled unattended.
Away
3. Leaving home
When: the last person leaves (location-based) or you tap a "Leaving" button. Then: all lights and plugs off, and a notification confirms it.
4. Arriving after dark
When: someone arrives home and it's after sunset. Then: entry lamp and living-room lamp on.
5. Door left open
When: the front door contact sensor stays open for 5 minutes. Then: send a phone notification.
Needs: a contact sensor (Wi-Fi, or Thread/Zigbee with a hub).
Evening and bedtime
6. Sunset lights
When: sunset (or 15 minutes before). Then: living-room lamps on at 70 percent warm white.
7. Wind-down scene
When: 9:30 PM. Then: lights dim to 30 percent warm white; the TV's smart plug turns off at 11:30 PM, if the TV isn't recording or updating.
8. Bedtime "all off"
When: you say "good night" or press a bedside button. Then: every light and plug off except a dim nightlight path to the bathroom.
Vacation and safety
9. Lived-in lighting
When: a "Vacation" mode is on, between sunset and 11 PM. Then: turn lamps on and off at slightly different times each day. Several apps have a built-in "away lighting" option that randomizes this for you.
10. Leak alert
When: a leak sensor under the sink or water heater detects water. Then: send a loud notification to everyone in the household.
Needs: a leak sensor. A leak sensor only alerts; it can't shut off water by itself unless paired with a shut-off valve, which typically requires a plumber.
## Routine planner| Routine | Trigger | Devices | Renter-friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gentle wake-up | Time | Smart bulb | Yes |
| Leaving home | Location or button | Plugs, bulbs | Yes |
| Arriving after dark | Location + sunset | Plug or bulb | Yes |
| Door left open | Contact sensor | Sensor | Yes (adhesive) |
| Bedtime all off | Voice or button | All plugs and bulbs | Yes |
| Leak alert | Leak sensor | Sensor | Yes |
Make routines save energy too
Routines that turn things off are where the money is. Use the Smart Plug Savings Calculator to see whether cutting standby or shortening on-hours is worth it for a specific device. For heating and cooling, read does a smart thermostat save money?
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a routine and a scene?
A scene is a saved set of device states, such as "lamps at 30 percent warm white." A routine or automation decides when to apply it, such as at 9:30 PM every night.
Do routines work when the internet is down?
Some do. Routines that run on a local hub with local devices (often Matter, Thread or Zigbee) can keep working; ones that rely on a cloud service usually stop until the connection returns.
Do location-based routines drain my phone battery?
They use location services, which can have a small battery impact. Most apps use geofencing, which is designed to be efficient.
