5 Ways to Make Your Smart Home Holiday Ready

5 Simple and Quick Ways to Make Your Smart Home Holiday-Ready 🎄✨


At OnHive, our mission is simple: We Connect you ➕ Technology.

Making your smart home holiday-ready doesn’t have to be stressful. Automating your lights, setting up “Away Mode” while you travel, adjusting your thermostat, keeping cameras clear of snow, and adding backup power might seem small, but they add up to a big difference in convenience, security, and peace of mind. Taking the time to prepare now ensures your home stays safe, efficient, and fully functional throughout the busy holiday season, so you can focus on celebrating with family and friends.


1. Automate Holiday Lights

Holiday lights are fun, but remembering to turn them on and off can be a hassle. Automating your lights with smart plugs, Lutron schedules, or your home automation system lets you set them to turn on at sunset and off automatically each night. Not only does this keep your home festive and welcoming, but it also saves energy and reduces stress, letting you enjoy the season without worrying about flipping switches.

2. Away Mode for Travel

Heading out for the holidays? Randomized lighting, smart locks, and automated routines make your home look lived-in even when it’s empty. Setting up “Away Mode” is a simple way to deter potential intruders while keeping your property safe. With the right smart home setup, you can travel with confidence, knowing your home is being monitored and controlled, without having to micromanage anything from afar.

3. Smart Thermostat Tips

Adjusting your smart thermostat while you’re away can save energy without sacrificing comfort. Lowering or scheduling temperatures during sleep or travel times helps reduce costs while keeping your home at the perfect temperature when you return. Properly configuring your thermostat ensures efficiency and comfort, and prevents unnecessary energy use during the busy holiday season. Small adjustments now can lead to meaningful savings and a more sustainable home.

4. Camera Check

Winter weather can blur or block your smart home cameras. Snow, frost, and freezing rain can settle on lenses and affect motion detection or alerts. A quick check after storms ensures your cameras provide clear footage and reliable monitoring, keeping your home protected all season long. This simple step ensures your smart security system works exactly as intended, giving you peace of mind while enjoying the holidays.

5. Backup Power Ready

Winter power dips or outages can interrupt your smart home, leaving cameras, alarms, and automation offline. Adding a small UPS (uninterruptible power supply) to your network and smart devices keeps everything running during short outages. It’s a simple, proactive step that ensures your home remains monitored, secure, and functional — so your smart home protects you even when the unexpected happens.

Winter weather can blur your smart cameras, a quick check keeps your home or place of business safe and monitored.

Conclusion

By taking a few simple steps like automating your lights, setting up Away Mode, adjusting your thermostat, checking your cameras, and preparing backup power, you can make your smart home holiday-ready, safe, and stress-free. These small actions add up to greater convenience, energy savings, and peace of mind, letting you focus on what really matters: enjoying the season with family and friends. With a little preparation, your smart home can handle the holiday bustle so you don’t have to.

Previous
Previous

The Smart Home Revolution

Next
Next

Buying Your Own Smart Home Equipment: A Red Flag?