I do consider myself a pretty techie person. I don’t have a ton of technology that some people have, but I do like having things that run smoothly and can make my life easier. I don’t always have the latest and greatest things, but having different devices that work together is really convenient for me and I have always tried to make my home as efficient as possible.
In my last place, I was limited in what I could do but I did try my best. I had my different devices connected so I could do things on any of them. I had my streaming services linked up so it would be easier to see what I have watched or to pick up on a show that I might have started on one device to another. But because it was a rental, I couldn’t make a lot of changes that I wanted to make.
For example, I wanted to be able to control my heat and air conditioner more. My air conditioner was a bit easier to manage since it was something I bought to put into the window, so I did have ways to set it. But because it was a standalone device, I only had the controls on the actual unit to change the temperature. Plus, since it was not really able to cool my entire place, when I used it it was always just running at full blast and never would shut off because it never got cool enough. And my heater was really simple and not able to have much control. It was a gas-powered wall unit and even though there was a temperature control for it, it only worked as an on or off switch. I couldn’t set the heat to be for a specific temperature, so I just had it on until I wanted it off. For that reason, I never could sleep with my heat on and it got extremely cold in my bedroom in the winter (I know people make fun of me for saying it was cold, but my bedroom would often be 50 degrees or colder).
Moving into a new place also meant I had an upgrade with my heating and cooling. I now have a central heat/air unit, but I haven’t had to use it because of how insulated my condo is. We have had some warm days, but I’m sure when it’s really hot it will be nice to have. But the control for my central heat/air was a very old-fashioned control that had mercury in it. So of course, I wanted to upgrade it. So I purchased a Nest control.
Getting the Nest installed ended up being a bigger ordeal than I expected. I paid for the installation when I bought it, but the technician they sent couldn’t do the work. Then they scheduled and canceled about a dozen appointments due to a lack of availability with their workers before saying they would not schedule a new one. I had to fight for my refund, but I finally got that settled. So I asked my contractor if he knew anyone who could help me, and he did!
It’s probably better that I had someone who was referred to me because the actual installation also was more complicated than the technician expected. But after a few hours, it was done. It is a bit low on my wall because we had to use the space where the old control was and my unit was designed for wheelchair accessibility, but I don’t mind it too much.
And another techie thing I added to my house was something I had at the old place too. I liked having a little temperature monitor that showed the indoor and outdoor temperatures. I had the one in my old place for such a long time and it ended up dying right before I moved. So I knew I would just be buying a new one and that worked out fine with me. I got a much nicer one that is easier to read. I still need to hang the outdoor monitor outside, but I’ll be doing that this weekend. And then I’ll be able to easily check the temperature before I head out. It’s a small thing, but it’s nice to have so I’m not just always looking on my phone.
There are a few other techie things I would like to add, such as automating my outdoor light, but I haven’t gotten to those projects just yet. There’s no rush for me to do it, but it’s on my list. And when I upgrade my tv and other things, I know I’ll be setting up more to go along with that.
I know I’ve said this over and over again, but I’m just enjoying getting settled into a home that is truly mine and I don’t have to worry about what is or isn’t allowed to be done. And I’m sure that making my home feel like mine will be something I always am working on as I get new things and continue to make upgrades.
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A Busy Family Weekend (or Continuing To Set Up My Home)
Another Small Upgrade (or Making Things Easier To Watch)
Letting Go (or Technology Really Is Important In My Life)
Still Enjoying Some Silly Little Things (or Getting Used To An Upgraded Home)
Finally A Good Workout Week (or Continuing To Build My Home Gym)
Still Waiting To Get Things Started (or Continuing To Work On Patience)
