Most smart home routine guides show you things like "change your lights to purple when it rains." Cool. Useless.
Here are 10 routines I actually use daily that save me real time. All of them work with Alexa or Google Home, cost nothing to set up, and use devices under $50.
Morning Routines
1. The Wake-Up Sequence
Trigger: Alarm goes off (or "Alexa, good morning")
Actions:
- Bedroom light gradually brightens over 5 minutes (warm → cool white)
- Smart speaker reads today's weather and calendar
- Kitchen coffee maker turns on (via smart plug)
- Thermostat adjusts to daytime temperature
What it replaces: Fumbling for your phone in the dark, walking to the kitchen to start coffee, checking the weather app, adjusting the thermostat.
Time saved: ~8 minutes every morning. Over a year, that's 48 hours.
Devices needed: Smart bulb ($8), smart plug on coffee maker ($7), smart speaker (already have), smart thermostat (optional).
2. The "I'm Running Late" Button
Trigger: "Alexa, I'm late"
Actions:
- Turn off all lights
- Turn off coffee maker
- Set thermostat to away mode
- Lock smart lock (if you have one)
What it replaces: Running around the house checking every light and appliance before rushing out the door.
Why this matters: That anxious "did I leave the stove on?" feeling while driving to work? Gone.
3. The Workout Start
Trigger: "Alexa, workout time"
Actions:
- Living room lights to 100% bright white
- Start a 45-minute timer
- Play workout playlist on smart speaker
Simple but effective. No fiddling with your phone to find a playlist or set a timer. Say two words and start moving.
Evening Routines
4. The Sunset Auto-Light
Trigger: Sunset (automatic, no voice needed)
Actions:
- Living room lamp turns on at 70%
- Porch light turns on at 100%
- Kitchen light turns on at 50%
This is the #1 routine I recommend to everyone. You never come home to a dark house. The lights are just… on. It sounds small until you realize how much nicer it is.
Pro tip: Use warm white (2700K) for evening automation. Cool white (5000K) at sunset feels like a hospital.
5. The Dinner Mode
Trigger: "Alexa, dinner time"
Actions:
- Kitchen light to 100%
- Living room dims to 40%
- TV turns off (if it was on)
- Set a 30-minute timer (so you don't forget food in the oven)
6. The Goodnight Sequence
Trigger: "Alexa, goodnight"
Actions:
- All lights turn off
- Thermostat sets to sleeping temperature (67°F)
- Smart lock locks the front door
- Tomorrow's alarm is confirmed
- Smart speaker whispers tomorrow's first calendar event
Time saved: The walk around the house checking every door and light. 5 minutes minimum.
The whisper feature: Both Alexa and Google have a whisper mode that speaks quietly at night. Enable it so "goodnight" doesn't blast your partner awake with "TOMORROW'S WEATHER IS…"
Utility Routines
7. The "Did I Leave It On?" Check
Trigger: "Alexa, house check" (custom routine)
Actions:
- Announces which smart plugs are currently on
- Reports if any doors/windows are open (if you have sensors)
- Confirms lock status
Use case: You're in bed and suddenly wonder if you left the iron on. Instead of getting up, ask Alexa. If the iron is on a smart plug, you can turn it off by voice.
8. The Vacation Mode
Trigger: Scheduled (when you're away)
Actions:
- Lights turn on and off at randomized times (simulating someone home)
- Living room lamp: 6pm-10pm (random start within 30 min window)
- Bedroom light: 9pm-11pm
- Kitchen: 7pm-8:30pm
This is the cheapest security system. Three smart plugs ($21 total) on three lamps, set to randomized schedules. From the outside, it looks like someone is home.
Tip: Don't use identical on/off times every day. Real humans don't turn lights on at exactly 6:00pm. Add 15-30 minute randomization.
9. The Guest Mode
Trigger: "Alexa, guest mode"
Actions:
- Set WiFi guest network password on the smart speaker (so you can tell guests)
- Indoor cameras pause recording (privacy)
- Smart speaker volume reduces
- Porch light stays on until midnight
The camera pause is important. If you have indoor cameras and guests are staying over, turning them off is both polite and avoids recording guests without consent.
10. The Laundry Reminder
Trigger: Smart plug detects washing machine cycle ended (power draw drops)
Actions:
- Smart speaker announces "Laundry is done. Don't leave it in the machine."
- Repeat announcement in 15 minutes if you haven't turned off the plug
This is weirdly the routine my friends ask about most. Everyone forgets laundry in the washer. A $7 smart plug with energy monitoring solves it.
How it works: The washing machine draws 300-500W during a cycle and drops to near-zero when done. Smart plugs with energy monitoring (Kasa EP25, $10) can detect this change and trigger an automation.
How to Set Up Routines
Alexa
- Open Alexa app → More → Routines → + (top right)
- Set trigger: voice command, time, device state, or location
- Add actions in order
- Save
Google Home
- Open Google Home app → Automations → + Add
- Choose starter: voice command, time, or device state
- Add actions
- Save
Tips for Better Routines
- Name them naturally. "Alexa, goodnight" is better than "Alexa, trigger bedtime routine number one."
- Test at the time they'll run. Your sunset routine might behave differently than you expect because sunset time changes daily.
- Add delays between actions. If lights turn off and the lock engages at the exact same moment, the lock might fail. Add a 2-second delay between actions.
- Don't over-automate. If a routine has 15 actions, something will break and you won't know which step failed. Keep routines to 3-5 actions max.
Your First Two Routines
Set up tonight:
Routine 1: Goodnight — All lights off + lock door (if you have a smart lock)
Routine 2: Sunset lights — Living room lamp on at sunset
These two alone will show you why smart home routines are worth the effort. Everything else is bonus.
Dana Park runs 6 daily routines. Her favorite is still the simplest one: lights on at sunset. It's been running for two years and she's never once come home to a dark apartment.