If the ’99 Disney Channel original “Smart House” still has you scarred from turning your home into a smart house, we get it.
Not to worry, though! While the film was ahead of its time, fortunately, smart houses don’t have the ability to absorb things through the floor … at least, not yet. 👀
Today, nearly everything in your home, air-conditioners, door locks, garage doors, can be connected to the internet and remotely controlled with a mobile device or smart speaker.
If you’re still getting your feet wet with all things smart home, here’s a list of ways to get started with Amazon Alexa.
- For home maintenance
No surprise here 😉, our No. 1 pick is to enable Keep Home on your Alexa Flash Briefings. Every day, we provide daily tips to keep your home maintained, from maximizing your energy use to the pros and cons of different types of flooring, and household cleaning hacks.
Pssst … don’t have an Alexa? Submit your #MyKeepHomeTip for a chance to win an Alexa Echo Show 5!
- In the kitchen
Fancy yourself the next Guy Fieri? Alexa can be your personal chef in the kitchen. While the Echo can’t fetch some milk for you or crack an egg 🍳 (or bleach your hair), it can listen to the ingredients you have and find a recipe you can whip up for dinner.
- Keeping things cozy
Alexa has a few tricks up her sleeve to make your bedtime routine more relaxing, too. She can keep an eye on the house, control your thermostat, turn lights on and off, and, for those who are glued to the couch after a weekend Netflix binge (ahem … this isn’t us, we swear), change the volume on the TV. 🛋️
- In your home office
Alexa can work as your personal secretary, checking your calendar, and adding dates to it. And if your math skills are lacking (hey, we’re pros at writing for a reason), Alexa has the ability to help with math problems beyond simple addition and subtraction. If you are asking about simple equations, we won’t judge, we promise.
- For a Laugh
From Bluetooth standup to rocking your favorite tunes, Alexa offers endless amounts of entertainment. Even when the jokes sound a bit corny, its electronic voice makes the answers hysterical. Give it a go: “Alexa, can you tell me a ‘yo mama’ joke?” 😆
For more fun ideas, check out:
- Move over tiny homes, tiny yards are the latest trend.
- You need to sit completely still and other myths about practicing meditation.
