Find extra time in your day with the help of smart appliances in the laundry.

Do you have one of those laundry baskets that seems to magically refill itself? Like that never-ending packet of Tim Tams, only it’s not replenished with delectable chocolate biscuits… it’s dirty washing.

Fortunately, the days of slaving over a hot and soapy washboard, hand-cranking the mangle, and saddling up the clothes horse are long gone.

Now, smart washers, clever dryers and intelligent pegs (yes, pegs) are making their way to a laundry near you. Here, we take a peek inside a luddite-free laundry and see how technology paired with high speed internet is making washing days a breeze.

Washer and Dryer 

How many times have you flung open the washing machine to throw a load in only to be met with that distinctive musty smell and clump of semi-dry clothes you forgot you washed yesterday.

Or the day before. Thanks to smart washing machines, those (smelly) days are finally numbered.

Once synced with your smartphone, connected washers can let you choose wash cycles, start and pause, plus ping you when the load is done and ready for drying.

No more wasting water, power and detergent on re-washing, or disappointment when your favourite outfit needs to take another spin.

And why not complete the dream laundry team with a wi-fi controllable dryer?

Whether you’re at home on the couch or out and about, use your smartphone to start or stop a cycle, track how long is left, and set alerts for when your load is done.

Iron

Did you turn the iron off this morning? If you’re not at home while reading this then you’ve probably just paused to give it at least some thought.

Rather than having to retrace your steps to check, connect a wi-fi enabled switch to the iron’s electrical socket and it’s as easy as glancing at your smartphone to put your mind at ease.

Smart plugs, like the Belkin wi-fi enabled WeMo, tap into your home’s wireless internet connection so you can turn each connected outlet off and on using your smartphone or tablet.

The smart plug acts as an adaptor between the power socket and your chosen device, adding a dash of ‘smart’ to any appliance. Switch your iron off (or on) with the tap of your screen, or program it to power up so it’s ready and waiting for you.

Pegs 

Image courtesy: Omo

Upon hearing the pitter-patter of rain on the roof, at some time or another we’ve all groaned, ‘The washing!’

Then comes the mad dash to the line in the downpour to salvage what remains of the freshly-dried washing.

Clothes are balled up – some with pegs still attached – and tossed haphazardly into the laundry basket (which, admit it, you used as an umbrella/hat on the bolt down the garden).

The cat may or may not be looking at you quizzically/smugly from its vantage point on the (dry) windowsill.

Enter washing powder brand, Omo, and its prototype smart clothes peg: peggy. This clever little peg seemingly knows everything about the weather – courtesy of in-built sensors including temperature, light and humidity – which it relays to the accompanying smartphone app.

Connected to the internet via wi-fi, peggy will suggest an optimal time to put on a load based on local conditions, when the washing cycle will be finished and ready for hanging, and how long it should take to dry.

And to save those heart-thumping Usain Bolt-style sprints when the weather suddenly changes, it’ll also tell you when the rains are coming.

Vacuum 

It’s not really clothing-related, but while you’re feeling so productive why not keep going and give those floors a clean? Or maybe you don’t need to worry about that so much anymore.

If you haven’t seen the video of the cat wearing a shark costume riding a robot vacuum, then do yourself a favour... 11 million+ views can’t be wrong.

(We’ve even teed up the video for you here in another window to watch later.)

While you may not have a cat, or a cat in a shark costume, a wi-fi connected vacuum can be as handy as this video is entertaining.

With the help of a robo-vac, like Neato’s Botvac™ and its mobile app, the only finger you’ll have to lift to get the vacuuming done is a quick swipe and tap of your smartphone.

Schedule the self-driving vacuum to spot clean in-need areas or de-fluff floors in any room – all while kicking up your heels or putting your feet up.

Robot vacuums will even let you know when they’re done and dusted via status updates sent straight to your smartphone. Sounds like the best way to vacuum to us!

Check out these other quirky and fun IoT devices that could help you automate your lifestyle.