In part three of my “Complete Rubbish” series, bin day automation gets a voice—and a vengeance. So you have a home assistant automation that tells you :-

Is a dashboard to tell you what bins to put out Is lights that show you what colour bins to take out This time, I’ve added:

🗣️ A voice nagging system to remind you (politely-ish) to take the bins out

🟢 A physical button to confirm you’ve done your civic duty

📳 A vibration sensor on the bin itself to detect movement and verify it’s been taken out Using Home Assistant, ESPHome, and a healthy dose of British bin banter, I walk through the setup, logic, and automations that make this system smarter than your average trash reminder. If you’ve ever ignored a bin notification, this one’s for you. If your bins have ever staged a rebellion… well, now they’ve got sensors. 🔧 What you’ll learn: – How to trigger voice alerts with Home Assistant – ESPHome button and vibration sensor setup – Automation logic for bin movement detection

📺 Watch the full “Rubbish” series:

1️⃣ [Bin Day Automations That Aren’t Rubbish](https://youtu.be/yourlink1)

2️⃣ [Trash Day Just Got Flashy](https://youtu.be/BQ8xUV81rgU)

In this part two of my “Rubbish” series, I take bin day automation to the next level

—literally lighting up the driveway with a WLED-powered LED square that changes colour based on which bins are going out great for your smarthouse.

Using HomeAssistant and WLED, I walk through the setup, configuration, and logic that makes this bin reminder not just functional, but fabulous. Whether it’s recycling, general waste, or garden clippings—your LEDs will know before you do.

Perfect for smart home enthusiasts, automation nerds, and anyone who’s ever wheeled out the wrong bin. 🛠️ Featuring: – WLED setup – Home Assistant integration – LED color logic based on bin schedule – A sprinkle of humour and a dash of RGB

💡 Missed Part 1? Catch up on the original bin automation setup! https://youtu.be/BQ8xUV81rgU?si=gz7gADdplGX6_1bz

Link to 8 by 8 grid https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167518642492 Subscribe for more smart home hacks, automation ideas, and tech with a twist.

Subscribe for more – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2ApL51kOA9bnJOLxjducnw?sub_confirmation=1

 

In this part two of my “Rubbish” series,

I take bin day automation to the next level—literally lighting up the driveway with a WLED-powered LED square that changes colour based on which bins are going out great for your smarthouse. Using HomeAssistant and WLED, I walk through the setup, configuration, and logic that makes this bin reminder not just functional, but fabulous.

Whether it’s recycling, general waste, or garden clippings—your LEDs will know before you do.

Perfect for smart home enthusiasts, automation nerds, and anyone who’s ever wheeled out the wrong bin.

🛠️ Featuring: – WLED setup – Home Assistant integration – LED color logic based on bin schedule – A sprinkle of humour and a dash of RGB

💡 Missed Part 1? Catch up on the original bin automation setup! https://youtu.be/BQ8xUV81rgU?si=gz7gADdplGX6_1bz

Link to 8 by 8 grid https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/167518642492

Tired of forgetting bin day? In this video, I show you how to automate your waste collection reminders using Home Assistant—from setting up the Waste Collection Schedule integration to building toggles, scripts, and a custom dashboard that actually works. Whether you’re dealing with food waste, garden clippings, recycling, or good old-fashioned rubbish, this guide walks you through every step with humor, clarity, and a sprinkle of British bin banter.

🔧 What you’ll learn: – How to install and configure the Waste Collection Schedule integration – Creating toggles and helpers for each bin type – Writing scripts to detect upcoming collections – Building a dynamic dashboard that updates automatically

💡 Perfect for beginners and seasoned Home Assistant users alike!

📅 Never miss bin day again. Subscribe for more smart home automation tips, tutorials, and techy nonsense.

Ever wondered if you could ditch Windows10 and switch to Ubuntu and still get everything done—without spending a fortune or upsetting the household CFO?

In this video, I take my ageing laptop and give Linux Ubuntu a proper go. From installing the OS to testing out everyday apps like Edge, Chrome, Office (LibreOffice) alternatives, Netflix, and even Copilot on a full LinuxDesktop, I walk through what works, what doesn’t, and what mildly panics me along the way.

If you’re curious whether Linux can handle your daily digital life (and maybe save you from buying a £1,000 laptop), this one’s for you.

No hype, no drama—just a real-world test with a few laughs and a lot of tabs. Will – WindowsToUbuntu work ?

Links Edge https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/edge/download?form=MA13FJ

Chrome https://www.google.com/intl/en_uk/chrome/?platform=linux#fast

Top cash back https://www.topcashback.co.uk/ref/martynhsmith

Tabby – https://tabby.sh/

 

Ever had a smart light that just wouldn’t quit?

Or an automations that overstayed its welcome like a dinner guest who doesn’t know when to leave? In this video,

I show you how to use **Home Assistant timers** to stop automations cleanly and cleverly. Whether you want lights to turn off after motion stops, or music to fade out after a set time, timers are your go-to tool for graceful exits.

🛠️ What You’ll Learn:

– How to create timers in Home Assistant
– Automations that start and stop based on timer events
– Tips for restarting timers with new triggers
– Common quirks and how to fix them

💬 Got a timer trick of your own? Drop it in the comments!

Are you new to Home Assistant and wondering what to expect on day one?

In this video, we’ll explore if Home Assistant is too smart for its own good right from the start. As a beginner, it can be overwhelming to navigate the menus and guides, but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. We’ll take you through what happens when you first start using Home Assistant, and provide a comprehensive guide to help you get started with your smart home journey.

From IoT solutions to smart home automation, we’ll cover it all. So, if you’re looking for a beginner-friendly introduction to Home Assistant, you’re in the right place. Let’s dive in and see if HomeAssistant is too smart on day one!

🏎️ What’s Your Home Assistant Vibe? In this video, I compare some of the most popular Home Assistant OS setups — each hilariously reimagined as a very different kind of vehicle. From smooth cruisers to souped-up tech rockets, discover which installation matches your smart home goals, personality, and hardware.

🤔 Why Watch? You’ll explore multiple install options with relatable analogies Get help deciding which setup best fits your situation Laugh while you learn — because YAML shouldn’t be dry

🎯 For Smart Home Beginners and Tinkerers Alike If you’ve ever wondered whether your setup is a reliable hatchback or a chaotic buggy full of automation mods, this is the video for you.

🔔 Subscribe for more smart home content that doesn’t take itself too seriously. It’s tech with torque — minus the spoilers.

 

Think Home Assistant is only for coders and server nerds? Think again. In this video,

I take a regular old PC and transform it into a smarthome powerhouse—without using Docker, VMs, or even advanced brain cells. Just me, a BIOS menu, and a dream. (SmartHomeTech from Bare Metal)

💡 What You’ll See: Hardware prep for bare-metal glory

Step-by-step Home Assistant OS install BIOS tweaks that don’t involve fear or fire

A walkthrough that even your nan could follow (maybe)

🛠 Turn a USB Key into a Ubuntu Boot Disk — Quick & Easy Tutorial! In this video, I show you how to convert a humble USB stick into a bootable Ubuntu disk using Rufus.

Whether you’re reviving an old machine, exploring Linux, or preparing for a bare metal Home Assistant install — this USB key is about to become your tech bestie.

🧙‍♂️💻 🔹 What You’ll Need: A USB flash drive — I’m using the trusty SanDisk Cruzer Blade 128GB -https://amzn.to/3ILAjCs Rufus — the USB wizard (Download Rufus) – https://rufus.ie/en/ The Ubuntu ISO — fresh from the source (Get Ubuntu) – https://ubuntu.com/download/desktop

🔍 You’ll Learn: How to format and prep your USB for booting How to load Ubuntu using Rufus without summoning any demons Troubleshooting common “why won’t this boot?” gremlins How to test it and get ready for installation — including bare metal Home Assistant magic

⚙️🏠 😄 Why did the USB stick apply for a job? Because it wanted to boot up its career in tech!