Ways Apartment Residents Can Have Smart Living Spaces

If you’re living in an apartment, there is no reason to feel all FOMO about the smart home technology and devices that you keep hearing about. So, all your home-owning friends have cool security camera and smart locks and you’re over here locked into a lease that restricts you from drilling holes and installing wiring. That doesn’t mean that you can get in on the smart home tech that makes your friends look so cool.

The thing about smart home technology is that those who develop it are smart enough to consider people from all walks of life, including buyers and renters. There ARE devices out there that only need temporary installation and won’t violate your lease – plus they will be easy to uninstall and pack up when it’s time for you to move to your next home, and they won’t impact your security deposit. It’s better to use these temporary-type devices anyway, since you don’t want to have to get into contracts that don’t align with your lease terms and end up costing you money in the end.

Here are my recommendations for ways that apartment residents can have turn their living spaces into smart spaces.

Was Someone in My Room?

If you live with roommates, you know what’s like to wonder if your stuff has been messed with. Instead of just feeling paranoid all the time, you can get a connected sensor that will tell you if your bedroom door or dresser drawers are opened, or if your valuables have been moved. These connected sensors can send you alerts on your phone as they track activity. You’ll never have to wonder about your stuff again, and you’ll be savvy to just when, and how often, your landlord is entering your space. These sensors are also great tools for detecting possible burglars. You can set them up on your doors and windows, and call the police if you get an alert that your space has been accessed.

Who’s at the Door?

Even if you are renting, you want to be able to monitor your visitors. While you can’t just go installing doorbells, you can use something like the Ring video doorbell which doesn’t require any wiring. You will have to install the mount, so you’ll want to get that pre-approved by your landlord.

Did I Leave the Lights On?

If you’re saving for a down payment on your dream home, then every penny is going to count. Smart technology can help you become a savvier energy-saver. You can either get smart outlets, which will allow you to control a variety of devices, or you can get smart lightbulbs. Either of these options will allow you to use an app to check to see if you, or your roommates, left on any lights or other appliances. Believe it or not – being able to remotely turn these things off can add up to some major savings that can go a long way toward becoming a home owner.

Are you a renter using smart home technology? Head to the comments to tell me how you use.