Automate family routines: Time-saving hacks 2025

Running a busy household can mean being stretched in different directions, often having your hands full, and wishing there were more hours in a day. For families, creating routines that work for your household can be imperative in maintaining sanity and staying on top of so many schedules. With smart home technology and IFTTT Applets, you can know when your kids get home, keep your extracurricular calendars in sync across the family, and even turn off the coffee machine you totally forgot was on… all in a few easy steps.

Get ready for school

Mornings can be a chaotic time as you juggle different schedules and try to get everyone out the door on time. Using Applets, you can get an email that reminds you of the weather so you know what to wear and get notifications for upcoming events. Of course, no smart home morning routine can be complete without the ability to make coffee automatically.

Once you’ve left the house, you can turn off the lights and your smart plugs on your way out in case you forgot or close the garage door using your voice.

After school reminders

Get custom notifications before the end of band practice using the event from search ends trigger in Google Calendar. This will make sure to remind you of specific events based on how you label them.

In case your kids forget to let you know when they get home safe, get a notification when your alarm system has been disabled or use a custom code on a smart device like Knocki.

Bedtime routine

Creating visual reminders for your kids can be a powerful way to enable them to form habits and empower them to feel independent. Using smart home devices and smart bulbs, you can change lights to signal different parts of their day such as when it is time to get ready for bed or brush their teeth.

Additionally, a soft light widget can quickly make it possible to soothe a crying baby or help your kids fall back to sleep after a nightmare.

Explore

Want to do even more with IFTTT? Explore the possibilities and create powerful experiences by making your own Applets.