5 Easy Ways to Add LED Lighting & Tech Updates for Home and Gifts!

Can I tell you that we accidentally fell into the world of adding LED lighting to our home a few years ago? A true accident that all began with a Christmas gift as a solution. It’s CYBER week! What could be better!?!

This home came with an ugly ceiling fan/light (non LED) over the center of the kitchen…pre island days…and one day it decided to lose a blade.

It was one of those things that we hadn’t gotten around to making it a priority for replacement yet. New flooring and appliances took priority over the lighting for a minute.

Looking for something entirely different for a project took me to Good Will where I found this great light fixture that would be a perfect replacement. Price tag read: $5.99. SERIOUSLY! Into my cart and home it went.

My husband wasn’t a huge fan; but, couldn’t argue that the ceiling had to have a new light fixture.

Down went the fan. Up went the chandelier.

Then we both realized…how will we turn this thing on and off?!! We had done that with a pull chain only with the previous one. We laughed…and about cried.

So for a few months we truly turned the light bulbs to turn the chandelier on and off. Who were we?!! Hilarious thinking back on it now.

Enter my son at Christmas. He had requested Phillips Hue LED lighting for his home as one of his gifts. Suddenly, the light bulb went off. (PUN INTENDED!)

Enter the LED LIGHTS!

1. Add LED HUE bulbs that can be adjusted to your lamps and light fixtures.

Those bulbs were added and installed to be turned off and on by our phone…and then Alexa was added. Wi-Fi to the rescue for sure! Brilliant! We just ask her to turn them off and on.

In fact, those bulbs have been added into lamps in the family room and office, as well, making turning them off with a timer or by our phones or Alexa a breeze.

How did we do without them before? Plus the savings on LED lights for the power bill is so worth it.

Here’s a link for you to see what we used:

2. Replace florescent and halogen lighting with LED lights.

The next huge eye sore in that kitchen was a florescent light above the kitchen sink. It was covered by a piece of wood, but truly it had to go.

We analyzed the electrical, placement and other issues and really had difficulty. Then out of the blue, can LED lights came back into the picture.

Brilliant!

Three can lights were placed and are so perfect for above the sink. We added a dimmer, too, so that I could have them as bright or as dim as I’d like them.

My son and daughter in law fell in love with them. They are SOOOO easy to install that my daughter in law has added them to their pantry and in hallways and other perfect locations to update their home.

3. Switch out outdoor lights with LED lights.

Do you remember when I shared with you the front porch redo and the new dusk to dawn LED lights that replaced the old ones?

I am so in love with these. You simply program them how you want them to work to make them work for you. We set ours to come on at dusk with a soft glow. They also come up to full light with movement which is amazing when guests arrive. I love the warm glow they still have in early mornings as I water planters before they turn off for the day.

All set without me ever having to turn them off or on. This lighting update is probably my favorite one of all!

In fact, they are loved so much that we replaced the ones on the deck to match. Love that all of the outdoor light fixtures match and that LED lighting and a soft glow happens all around our home.

4. Include security LED lighting to the exterior of your home.

With 18 acres around us and inside the city limits, we knew that updating our security systems is a continual process.

During the Dogwood Trail, we love to have our home and trees lit. We loved the lighting so much that my husband found outdoor LED lighting that works to illuminate the front of our home.

It was so welcoming that we have kept it up year round and have it set to automatically turn on and off each evening to welcome guests.

Here’s what he used:

There are many types of LED security systems around and we looked at several of them and made a choice for a connected system that adds LED lighting with movement and recording 24 hours a day. We have other locations selected to add soon. I highly recommend that you look at options and add one to your home. Here are a few of the LED Security systems available to choose from:

5. The last way that we added LED lighting will surprise you!

When we did the bathroom remodel, we realized that our outlet and light switch covers were really in need of updating.

Our home was like many older homes where random types of outlet covers and light switch covers abound.

We immediately began replacing both 20 years ago when the remodeling of this home began. But, can I tell you we were clueless as to how behind the times we were.

We loved the new outlet covers and switches that they have been added to the list to switch out all of them as soon as we can. No small feat here! And sure, other items will take priority, I am sure.

But, back the LED lighting surprise! Do you have a need for a nightlight in those updated covers? Here’s what we found when we began shopping.

We won’t be using many of these, but, maybe you can see them in your future. Regardless, check out the many different types of new switches, dimmers, switch plates and outlet covers there are to update your home.

When we added our island we also purchased the outlets that have the USB ports to charge our phones. We love them.

So, how updated is the lighting in your home, friends?

LED lights are so economical and offer so much more ease, that I am a huge fan.

Other Tech ideas that have been great home updates (and make great gifts!).

-We also have a switch that automatically turns on outside lighting added to our home;

-Honeywell wifi thermostat that we can adjust the home temperature while we are away;

-and an updated water heater that we place on vacation mode when we are out of town that makes for energy efficiency.

Hope I have given you ideas that can help you with updates for your home. Perhaps some of these will fit the bill for some on your Christmas list.

I’d love to know how you have updated your technology and lighting, too. Please share in the comments!

Happy Updating, friends!

And, because today is the shopping day for all technology, I may have solved some of your gift ideas on a day when you can save even more!

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