Creative Uses for Smart Plugs That'll Make Your Life Easier

Smart devices that improve your home life are becoming increasingly popular in the mainstream world. Smart thermostats are known for saving money on energy bills while keeping your home comfortable. Smart light bulbs allow you to set the mood wherever you go.

These items have gotten plenty of applause and hype on the net, but there might be one device that hasn't gotten the love it deserves: the smart plug. These simple plugs allow you to control the flow of electricity to devices through your smartphone.

If it sounds incredibly useful, it is. These creative uses for smart plugs prove that you need these gadgets in your home—and the more, the merrier.

Use it to keep your home from getting too hot.

Space heaters are great for keeping your home toasty in the winter, especially if you don't have central air. However, keeping them plugged in and turned on for too long can be a drain on electricity and can make your home uncomfortable. In some cases, it could even be a fire hazard.

One of the best uses for smart plugs in the winter and fall is to keep your space heaters in check while you're away at work. Doing this makes your home warmer, safer, and cheaper to live in.

Use your smart plug to keep burglars at bay and keep your holiday lighting energy-efficient.

Most burglars will stakeout a house for days to figure out when people are away before they rob it. The most common sign they look for is lights going on and off throughout the home—and that's what makes smart plugs great smart home security devices.

If you live in a dangerous neighborhood, one of the better uses for smart plugs would be to control your lights while you're away from your home as a thief deterrent. After all, not many robbers will risk going in an occupied house when they know that a homeowner will be likely to make things messy.

On a similar note, certain kinds of smart plugs also work well if you want to control your outdoor lighting setups. During the holidays, this could save you hundreds of dollars—and possibly a few angry calls from neighbors.

Most people who are in the workforce today know the annoyance of having to come home to no homecooked meal after they work hours upon hours at the office. If you have a smart plug, this never has to be the case again.

All you need to do to get a nice hot plate when you come home is turn on a slow cooker while you're at work. A lot of smart plugs, such as the ones from iHome, allow you to do that through a cellphone app.

Start breakfast while you wake up.

If you're a fan of the slow cooker trick, then there are plenty of uses for smart plugs that you'll adore. If you use a smart plug for your coffee maker, crock pot, or waffle iron, you can have things heated up by the time you get on your feet out of bed.

Use your smart plugs to set a welcoming mood when you come home—or just tune into your favorite shows.

If you love coming home to a warm, lit home with a little bit of music in the background, then you're going to adore smart plugs. There are so many awesome uses for for smart plugs when it comes to creating an automated yet inviting place to call home.

To get the most from your "welcome home" smart plug setup, consider using these ways below:

• Hook up a smart plug to your radio or stereo. If you're a huge fan of certain radio shows, or love to have mood music when you come home, this is a must.
• Use your smart plug to turn on ambient lighting powered with a smart bulb. If you really want to crank up the mood, get a smart bulb that you can control from your phone and plug the lighting fixture that powers it in a smart plug. This allows you to change the mood of your home to suit your own mood, without you ever having to be there.
• If you have an electric oil diffuser, plug it into a smart plug for a burst of perfume when you come home. This is a great way to make your home extra inviting. Since our noses tend to become "deaf" to smells that they are constantly exposed to, adding a timer to the oil diffuser is a great way to ensure you always will have your room smelling fresh.

Get a better sleep.

If you suffer from insomnia, it can be really difficult to find a way to get to sleep without having a sound machine or a night light. One of the most sleep-friendly uses for smart plugs is automating your bedroom's sleep schedule.

Once bedtime hits, use your smart plug to turn on your sleep aids and set a timer for them to them to shut off. This helps you get a better sleep, keep your room quiet, and also improve your energy efficiency.

Enforce screen time limits with kids.

If you're a parent, you already are very well-aware how much of a danger too much screen time can be for kids. As parents, you probably should know that there are tons of uses for smart plugs that can help you raise your kids right.

For example, parents who notice that their children are spending too much time on video games might want to use a smart plug to shut off the TV or console once an allotted amount of time is up. Others might want to do the same with their internet router.

You can cool down your home affordably during the summer.

Don't have enough cash for a smart thermostat? Well, one of the smarter uses for smart plugs could help mimic a smart thermostat—at least, in terms of energy efficiency. Just plug your air conditioner into a smart plug and use an app to turn it on an hour or so before you head home.

This way, you come home to a cool house and get the perk of saving energy on your bills.

Make getting ready for work just a little bit easier.

If you're a girl who loves keeping her hair straight or curled up, then you already know what a chore it is to get a hair iron that doesn't burn your hair that also heats up instantly. Thankfully, tech allows you to skip the waiting period with the use of an app.

Glam-wise, one of the best uses for smart plugs is to set them up to start heating your hair iron while you eat breakfast. Getting ready just got a lot easier!

Finally, you can also use your smart device to prevent damage to your electronics.

Did you know that keeping your electronic devices plugged in after they're fully charged can harm the battery? If you're looking for tech-friendly uses for smart plugs, just use them as a timer to help you avoid overcharging your devices.

After all, if you love tech as much as we do, you'll want it to last a long time—and investing in the right smart gadgets can help you do that wonderfully.