*This is a paid partnership with Hive - see disclaimer*
In recent months our home has become more of a sanctuary than it already was so in order to really make the most of our living space we installed smart products from Hive, giving our home that little bit extra.
Hive is one of the nation's favourite connected home providers boasting products such as the Hive Active Heating, smart plugs, sensors and lightbulbs as well as indoor and outdoor cameras. It allows you to completely control your home, save money and reduce your carbon foot print - making life that little bit easier for all of the family.
With staying in being our new normal, it meant we could use their easy to install products to create more ambience at home and make some tasks even easier especially with both Arran and I working from home.
The easiest way for us to link all of our Hive products was by using the Hive Hub which is now the heart of our home - helping to connect all of our products as well as enabling us to manage them remotely via the app on our phones. Everything was so easy to set up and I was able to invite a guest to our account so that both Arran and I have control of the house via the app.
It was all connected at the touch of a button, I wish we'd done it sooner.
The smart sensors are brilliant for adding a little reassurance at home as they'll alert you to any movement but for the moment we've invested in the smart lighting and smart plugs throughout our home.
With both of us working from home, we've had to get ourselves in a bit of routine of who is doing what and when. Time has been precious due to having no childcare so having the smart plugs in the office and our living space has made day to day life even easier - phew!
The smart plugs have meant we've been able to flick the kettle on so that it's boiled as we walk into the kitchen as well as making sure all our phones, tablets and laptops we need for work are charged. It also meant that if we've had to put the TV on for the little one while we're on a work call, we've been able to do so straight from our phones.
It's effortless living but in the best way possible meaning the time we do have is spent all together without having to worry about switching something off or on.
The smart lighting is definitely where we've had the most fun - the dimmable lightbulbs help you create an atmospheric setting at home be it for an early morning family breakfast before the sun comes up or for those all-important date nights at home with delicious grub and a glass of wine once the little one is in bed.
There are three light options to choose from including a colour changing option. We've opted for the dimmable lightbulbs for the moment although I think we may add the cool to warm bulbs to our room in time. The great thing about the lightbulbs is that you can completely control all your lighting at the tap of a button and our son finds it fun to see them change by themselves - I won't tell him if you don't!
As we head into the Autumn and the evenings begin to get darker I can't wait to make the most of being able to control our lighting from my app. It means when we're getting home, we can walk into a light, warm and cosy room rather than having to run around to turn the lights on manually and feel around in the dark - I can't wait!
Hive has revolutionised our home in more ways than one and it's so simple to set up, I wish we'd done it sooner.
You can shop the products at Hive now - How would you bring harmony to your home with Hive?
