My Complete Renter-Friendly Smart Home Setup (Under €300)
I rent. I move every two or three years. And I have a fully automated apartment that cost me less than €300 total.
Every single device in my setup is removable, damage-free, and fits in one moving box. Here’s the complete breakdown of what I use, how I mounted it, and what happens when my lease ends.
Why I Built a Portable Smart Home
When I first looked into smart home tech, most guides assumed you owned the place. Hardwired light switches. Doorbell cameras screwed into brick. Thermostats that replace your existing unit. None of that works when your landlord checks for wall damage during move-out inspection.
So I built my setup around three rules: no drilling, no wiring, no permanent changes. Everything either plugs in, sticks on with removable adhesive, or sits on a shelf. The total came to roughly €290, which is less than one month’s electricity bill in most European cities.
If you’re starting from zero, check out my complete renter’s guide for the full philosophy. This article is the specific shopping list and installation walkthrough.
The Complete Setup (Device by Device)
Echo Dot (5th Gen): €30
This is the brain of my apartment. It sits on my nightstand. No mounting needed, no adhesive, no wall contact whatsoever. I use it for voice commands, timers while cooking, and as the central point for all my Alexa routines.
The Echo Dot connects to everything else on this list over WiFi. I run a “goodnight” routine that turns off all lights, locks the front door, and sets the LED strip to a dim red nightlight. Setup took maybe ten minutes.
When I move: unplug it, toss it in a box, plug it in at the new place. Done in seconds.
4x WiZ Bulbs (Color): €40 total
I replaced every bulb in my apartment with WiZ color bulbs. They cost about €10 each and screw into standard E27 sockets. No hub required. They connect directly to WiFi and work with Alexa, Google, and their own app.
I chose WiZ over Philips Hue because I didn’t want to spend €50 on a bridge before buying a single bulb. For a renter on a budget, that €50 is better spent on actual devices. The WiZ bulbs aren’t quite as polished in the app, but they do 90% of what Hue does at a third of the price.
I have them in my living room (2), bedroom (1), and hallway (1). Each one took literally 30 seconds to install: unscrew old bulb, screw in WiZ bulb, add to app. For more lighting options that don’t need wiring, I wrote a full guide on renter-friendly smart lighting.
When I move: unscrew them, put the original bulbs back in, pack the WiZ bulbs in their boxes. Two minutes per room.
SwitchBot Curtain 3: €65
This is probably my favorite device. The SwitchBot Curtain 3 clips onto my existing curtain rod and moves the curtains open or closed on a schedule. Morning light at 7:15 AM without lifting a finger. It charges via USB-C (or optional solar panel), and the clip mechanism doesn’t damage the rod at all.
Installation was genuinely easy. I slid the device onto the rail, calibrated the open/close positions in the app, and set a schedule. The motor is quiet enough that it doesn’t wake me. It just gently pulls the curtains open and light does the rest.
The one downside: it works best on C-track or U-rail curtain rods. If you have a round pole rod, you’ll need the specific hook adapter. Check your rod type before buying.
When I move: unclip it from the rail. Takes about 15 seconds. Zero damage.
Blink Mini 2: €30
A tiny indoor camera that sits on my window sill pointed at the front door. It’s USB-powered (plugs into any outlet), stores clips in the cloud (free tier gives you limited storage, or use a USB stick with the Sync Module), and has decent 1080p quality.
I don’t mount it on the wall. It just sits on a shelf. The base has a slight angle adjustment, which is enough to get the right view of my entrance. I get motion alerts on my phone when I’m at work, and I can check the live feed anytime.
For more camera options that work in rental apartments, see my battery camera guide.
When I move: unplug the USB cable, put it in my bag. Literally five seconds.
3x Aqara Door/Window Sensors: €35 total
These tiny sensors stick to my front door, balcony door, and bedroom window with included adhesive pads. When a door opens, I get a notification. I also use them in automations: balcony door opens, living room light turns on. Front door closes after 10 PM, all lights switch to dim mode.
They’re Zigbee-based, so they need the Aqara hub (€30) or you can pair them with an Echo device that has a Zigbee radio built in (Echo 4th gen, Echo Show 10). I use my Echo as the hub, so no extra cost there.
The adhesive pads they come with are fine for smooth surfaces. On my textured bathroom door frame, I used a small Command strip instead. Either way, removal is clean.
When I move: peel off the sensors, remove any adhesive residue with a bit of rubbing alcohol. Five minutes for all three.
SwitchBot Lock Pro: €90
The most expensive single item on my list, but worth every cent. This smart lock attaches over my existing thumb-turn deadbolt using 3M VHB tape. The original key still works (important for landlord access), and I can unlock with my phone, a keypad, or auto-unlock when I arrive home.
I wrote a detailed review of this lock in my smart lock for apartments guide. The short version: it took 15 minutes to install, my landlord doesn’t know it’s there, and I’ll peel it off when I leave.
The keypad (€35 extra, not included in my €290 total) sticks to the door frame outside with adhesive. I use it when I go running without my phone. Guests get temporary codes.
When I move: peel the lock off the thumb-turn, peel the keypad off the frame, clean any residue. Takes about five minutes and leaves zero marks.
Smart LED Strip (Govee): €20
A 5-meter RGB LED strip that I stuck behind my TV unit with the built-in adhesive backing. It adds ambient light, reduces eye strain during movies, and looks great for about the price of two coffees.
It plugs into a USB port (I use my TV’s USB) and connects to WiFi. I sync it with my movie-watching routine: lights dim, LED strip goes to a soft warm white, curtains close. It also works with music sync if you want a party mode, though I rarely use that in an apartment with neighbors.
When I move: peel it off the back of the TV unit carefully. The adhesive can leave a bit of residue on matte surfaces, but a damp cloth removes it. One minute total.
The Complete Cost Breakdown
| Device | Price | Mount Method | Removal Damage | Pack Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Echo Dot (5th Gen) | €30 | Freestanding (nightstand) | None | 5 seconds |
| 4x WiZ Color Bulbs | €40 | Screw into existing sockets | None | 2 minutes |
| SwitchBot Curtain 3 | €65 | Clip on curtain rail | None | 15 seconds |
| Blink Mini 2 | €30 | Freestanding (shelf) | None | 5 seconds |
| 3x Aqara Door Sensors | €35 | Adhesive pads | None (smooth walls) | 5 minutes |
| SwitchBot Lock Pro | €90 | 3M VHB tape | None | 5 minutes |
| Govee LED Strip | €20 | Adhesive backing | Minimal residue | 1 minute |
| Total | €290 | ~15 minutes |
My entire smart home packs up in under 15 minutes and fits in one small box. That’s the beauty of building a renter-friendly setup from day one.
What I’d Add Next
If I had another €100 to spend, I’d add a smart plug with energy monitoring (€15) for my space heater, a second Blink camera for the balcony (€30), and maybe a SwitchBot Hub Mini (€40) to tie everything together with infrared control of my AC unit.
You can see how different ecosystems compare on our comparison page to figure out which direction makes sense for your budget.
For device recommendations under €50, check out my best smart home devices under €50 list. And if you want to understand how all these devices work together without a central hub, read my guide on WiFi-only smart homes.
Lessons Learned After 2 Years
Test adhesive on a hidden spot first. I learned this the hard way when a Command strip pulled a tiny flake of paint off my bathroom door frame. Now I always test in a spot behind a door or inside a closet.
Buy devices that work across ecosystems. WiZ works with Alexa, Google, and Apple Shortcuts. SwitchBot works with everything. If I switch voice assistants next year, nothing breaks.
Keep the original parts. I have a small bag with the original bulbs and the thumb-turn cover plate from my lock. When I move out, everything goes back to factory state in minutes.
Don’t over-automate. I tried fancy routines with motion sensors triggering different scenes based on time of day. Half the time it got confused. Now I keep it simple: scheduled routines, voice commands, and a few door-trigger automations. Works perfectly.
FAQ
Can my landlord object to any of these devices?
None of these devices modify your apartment permanently. Smart bulbs screw in like regular bulbs. Adhesive-mounted devices peel off cleanly. As long as you restore everything to original condition when you leave, there’s nothing for a landlord to object to. I haven’t told mine, and they’ve never noticed during inspections.
What if my apartment has old wiring and smart bulbs flicker?
This happens occasionally with dimmer switches or very old wiring. WiZ bulbs have a built-in flicker-free driver that handles most situations, but if you have a physical dimmer switch on the wall, either set it to 100% permanently or replace the bulbs in that fixture with non-smart ones. Smart bulbs need constant full power to stay connected.
Do I need a hub for this setup?
Not necessarily. WiZ bulbs, Blink cameras, the Govee LED strip, and SwitchBot products all connect directly to WiFi. The only devices that technically need a hub are the Aqara sensors (Zigbee), but if you have an Echo 4th gen or newer with the built-in Zigbee radio, that acts as your hub for free.
How reliable is WiFi for all these devices?
I have about 12 WiFi devices total (including my phone, laptop, and tablet), and a basic ISP router handles them fine. If you’re going above 20 devices, consider a mesh WiFi system. For my apartment size (65 sqm), a single router covers everything without dead spots.
What happens during a power outage?
The SwitchBot Lock still works with the original key. Everything else simply turns off and comes back online automatically when power returns. My WiZ bulbs remember their last state, so they don’t all blast on at full brightness at 3 AM if the power flickers. The Blink camera has no battery backup on the Mini 2, so you lose recording during outages (the Blink Outdoor models have batteries, though).