After lights, one of the easiest and cheapest items to automate the house without getting a full upgrade of curtains is to get one of Switchbot's Curtain Rod 2. This curtain opener and closer that can open with your standard automation commands. Wake up in the morning to fresh sunlight without having to get up. Close the curtain when it's raining or cloudy. This little gadget will open those curtains (as long as it's on a rod-see product specifics for the rod type). Getting a fully automated curtain can easily cost upwards of $500 (I've got one). If you have 2 Curtain bots, you can program them to control both at once so that each curtain on the left and right open and close from the middle.
Overall the setup requires the Switchbot MiniHub or Hub 2. Setup is simple to do. Attaching the device onto the curtain is simple. Hook it up so the light sensor is at the window, and lift the roller onto hanging hooks.
Automated Control is through the app. You can have it open or close completely, or only to a certain percentage open. However if you tug on the curtain enough, the Switchbot curtain will detect that it's moving along and move to completely open and close the curtain. All it needs is a bit of a tug and the device will do the rest of the work.
I've had this one a few types of curtains. It does really well with shears (50% opacity?) since they're lightweight. But it has some trouble with heavy curtains such as the full length 84" or 92" full blackout curtains.
Battery life is around 2 months for the heavier weight curtains. However, Switchbot also offers a solar panel to charge the switchbot so it is always topped off with a charge. Switchbot Curtain is not the only product that works with window coverings - they also have the blind tilt that rotates blind rods.
This is a simple and cheap way to give your home automation a bump.
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