If you are a fan of the convenience of using Siri and HomeKit to control your smart home devices, you may have encountered some challenges when it comes to moving to a new location. This was the case for one Apple user who found themselves faced with the dilemma of dealing with unused light bulbs and smart plugs in their new home.
The user had initially set up their smart home with the help of Siri, using HomeKit to control the lighting and ambiance in their old rental apartment in Barcelona. However, when it came time to move, they found themselves with an array of smart bulbs that no longer fit the layout of their new home.
The typical solution would be to remove these unused devices from the Home app, but the user didn’t want to lose the option of using them in the future. Additionally, reconfiguring the devices seemed like a hassle. So, they came up with a clever workaround.
The user created a “ghost room” in their HomeKit setup, naming it “Limbo.” This allowed them to move all the unused devices to this virtual room, keeping them separate from the active devices. They also removed these devices from any automations or environments, ensuring that Siri wouldn’t attempt to interact with them.
To address a small issue with Siri’s command to “turn off all the lights,” the user created a new environment called “Off,” which only included the lights that were in use. This solved the problem of Siri attempting to interact with the unused devices when using the command.
While this solution may not be perfect, it provided the user with a practical way to manage their smart home devices during a move, allowing them to maintain the functionality of their HomeKit setup while keeping unused devices in reserve for future use.
This inventive approach highlights the flexibility and customization options available within the HomeKit ecosystem, demonstrating how users can adapt the platform to their specific needs and preferences.
Overall, the user found a balance between maintaining their preferred habits with Siri and HomeKit, while also keeping unused devices accessible for future use. It’s a creative solution that showcases the versatility of HomeKit for managing smart home setups.
