Upping the Game
So you've decided that you'd like to move from a mishmash of individual smart devices to a true integrated and automated smart home. The first step you must take is to decide on a platform or system that will serve as the "brains" of your automated home. This is not a trivial step. You will be spending substantial time (and possibly a decent chunk of change over time) getting your home to the desired state. The last thing you want is to find that you've painted yourself into a corner and can't do some of the things you'd really like to do. So, before beginning, you need to do some planning and research.