Organization

A well-organized smart home is easier to control, faster to navigate, and simpler to maintain. This guide covers advanced organization techniques in We Love Lights to keep your setup clean and efficient.

Naming Strategies

Device Naming Best Practices

Clear, consistent names make everything easier.

Location-Based Naming

Format: Room - Location/Function

Examples:

• "Kitchen - Island Left"
• "Kitchen - Island Right"
• "Living Room - Floor Lamp"
• "Bedroom - Nightstand Right"
• "Bathroom - Mirror"

Benefits:

• Easy to find devices by location
• Clear which light is which
• Scales well with large setups

Function-Based Naming

Format: Room - Purpose

Examples:

• "Office - Desk Light"
• "Bedroom - Reading Lamp"
• "Living Room - Accent Light"
• "Kitchen - Task Lighting"

Benefits:

• Understand purpose at a glance
• Easier voice control descriptions
• Intuitive for guests

Combined Approach

Format: Room - Location - Type

Examples:

• "Master Bedroom - Left Nightstand - Lamp"
• "Kitchen - Under Cabinet - Strip"
• "Garage - Ceiling - Bulb 1"

Benefits:

• Most specific
• No ambiguity
• Best for very large setups

Naming Conventions

Consistency is Key:

• Choose one format and stick to it
• All devices follow same pattern
• Makes searching easier

Avoid:

• ❌ Generic: "Light 1", "Bulb A"
• ❌ Vague: "That one", "The main light"
• ❌ Technical: "Hue Color A19 #3"
• ❌ Mixed styles: "kitchen light" + "Bedroom Lamp" + "LIV_ROOM_1"

Good Practices:

• ✅ Descriptive
• ✅ Consistent capitalization
• ✅ Clear room indication
• ✅ Unique per device

Room and Group Organization

Creating Logical Rooms

Standard Rooms:

• Living Room
• Kitchen
• Dining Room
• Bedrooms (numbered if multiple)
• Bathrooms (numbered if multiple)
• Hallways
• Garage
• Outdoor

Specific Naming for Multiple:

• "Master Bedroom" vs "Bedroom 2"
• "Main Bathroom" vs "Guest Bathroom"
• "Front Hallway" vs "Upstairs Hallway"

Zone Strategy

Use zones for room subsections:

Large Rooms:

• "Kitchen - Island"
• "Kitchen - Dining Area"
• "Kitchen - Counter"

Flexible Spaces:

• "Living Room - TV Area"
• "Living Room - Reading Nook"
• "Living Room - Accent"

Multi-Purpose Rooms:

• "Basement - Workshop"
• "Basement - Media"
• "Basement - Storage"

Custom Groups

Beyond rooms and zones, create functional groups:

Activity-Based:

• "Movie Lights" - All lights used during movies
• "Work Lights" - Lights on during work hours
• "Path Lights" - Lights for nighttime navigation
• "Party Lights" - Color lights for celebrations

Floor/Area-Based:

• "First Floor"
• "Second Floor"
• "Basement"
• "Outdoor"

Automation Groups:

• "Motion Controlled" - All motion sensor lights
• "Always On" - Security or essential lights
• "Seasonal" - Holiday or seasonal decorations

Visual Organization

Reordering Items

Drag and drop to organize:

Studio Sidebar:

1. Click and hold item
2. Drag to desired position
3. Drop to place
4. Order saved automatically

Strategic Ordering:

• Most used first: Quick access
• By location: Room-by-room tour
• By function: All sensors together, all switches together
• By frequency: Daily use at top, rarely used at bottom

Hiding Unused Items

Clean up interface by hiding:

What to Hide:

• Seasonal devices (off-season)
• Spare/replacement devices
• Rarely accessed items
• Decommissioned devices (before deleting)

How to Hide:

1. Right-click device/group
2. Select "Hide"
3. Item disappears from lists

Unhiding:

1. Settings → Hidden Items
2. Find item
3. Click "Show" or "Unhide"

Benefits:

• Cleaner interface
• Faster navigation
• Less scrolling
• Focus on what you use

Favorites System

Mark frequently used items:

What to Favorite:

• Most-used rooms
• Go-to scenes
• Primary control lights
• Frequently accessed devices

How to Favorite:

1. Hover over item
2. Click star icon
3. Or right-click → "Add to Favorites"

Favorite Display:

• Appear at top of sections
• Quick access in menu bar
• Priority in search results

Don't Over-Favorite:

• Too many favorites = no favorites
• Only mark truly frequent items
• Review and remove periodically

Search and Filter

Effective Searching

Search Bar Usage:

• Partial names: "liv" finds "Living Room"
• Multiple words: Searches all terms
• Case insensitive: Lowercase works
• Device types: "sensor" finds all sensors

Search Tips:

1. Use distinctive parts of names
2. Search by room name
3. Search by device type
4. Search by function ("reading", "desk")

Filtering

By Type:

• Lights only
• Sensors only
• Switches only
• Scenes only
• Smart plugs only

By Status:

• On devices
• Off devices
• Unreachable devices
• Low battery devices

By Room:

• All devices in specific room
• Cross-room searches
• Room hierarchies

Saved Searches

If supported:

• Save frequent search queries
• Quick access to complex filters
• Named search views

Documentation

Internal Documentation

Device Notes:

• Add notes to devices (if supported)
• Document location details
• Note special behaviors
• Record purchase dates

Scene Descriptions:

• What the scene does
• When to use it
• Which rooms it affects

Rule Documentation:

• Why rule exists
• Expected behavior
• Last modified date
• Who created it

External Documentation

Keep separate records:

Spreadsheet/Document:

• All devices and locations
• Bridge assignments
• Purchase dates and warranties
• Replacement schedule (bulbs, batteries)
• Configuration notes

Diagram:

• Floor plan with device locations
• Sensor coverage areas
• Bridge placement and ranges
• Zigbee mesh visualization

Change Log:

• Date of changes
• What was changed
• Why it was changed
• Issues encountered

Maintenance Routines

Regular Review

Monthly:

• Check battery levels
• Test automation rules
• Review and remove unused favorites
• Update names if needed

Quarterly:

• Reorganize if setup changed
• Update documentation
• Review hidden items (still need hidden?)
• Check for firmware updates

Annually:

• Complete audit of all devices
• Clean up deleted/non-existent references
• Reorganize groups and zones
• Review and optimize rules

Cleaning Up

Remove Clutter:

• Delete old unused scenes
• Remove offline devices
• Clean up failed configurations
• Consolidate similar rules

Optimize:

• Merge similar groups
• Simplify rule logic
• Remove redundant automations
• Update outdated names

Battery Tracking

Proactive Management:

• Monitor battery levels regularly
• Replace before critical
• Keep spare batteries
• Note replacement dates

Battery Schedule:

• Motion sensors: ~2 years
• Switches: ~2 years
• Keep log of replacements
• Plan purchases in advance

Multi-User Organization

Shared Setup

Consistency:

• Everyone uses same naming
• Agreed-upon organization
• Shared documentation
• Common favorites

Training:

• Show family how to use
• Document common tasks
• Label physical switches
• Create quick reference guide

Access Levels:

• Primary admin (you)
• Family members (basic control)
• Guests (scene activation only)

Guest-Friendly Setup

Simple Controls:

• Physical switches in guest areas
• Clear scene names
• Obvious lighting controls
• Minimal complexity

Guest Instructions:

• One-page guide
• Physical labels on switches
• Voice control basics
• Emergency manual override

Troubleshooting Organization

Can't Find Device

Problem: Lost track of device location

Solutions:

• Use search function
• Check hidden items
• Try "Identify" feature (makes light blink)
• Review device info for clues
• Check alternative names

Interface Feels Cluttered

Problem: Too many items visible

Solutions:

• Hide rarely used items
• Remove unused devices
• Limit favorites
• Use groups more
• Simplify room structure

Inconsistent Naming

Problem: Names don't follow pattern

Solutions:

• Decide on naming convention
• Systematically rename all devices
• Document the standard
• Stick to it going forward

Lost Track of Setup

Problem: Don't remember configuration

Solutions:

• Review device by device
• Check rule configurations
• Look at scene setups
• Consult old documentation
• Start fresh documentation now

Organization Tools

Batch Operations

If supported, batch rename or organize:

• Select multiple devices
• Apply same change to all
• Faster than one-by-one

Templates

Create templates for new devices:

• Naming templates
• Scene templates
• Rule templates
• Apply to new devices quickly

Backup and Restore

Backup Configuration:

• Export settings (if supported)
• Screenshot organization
• Document manually
• Save before major changes

Restore:

• Import saved settings
• Rebuild from documentation
• Avoid starting from scratch

Best Practices Summary

Naming

1. ✅ Consistent format
2. ✅ Descriptive names
3. ✅ Include room/location
4. ✅ Avoid generic names
5. ✅ Document convention

Groups

1. ✅ Logical room structure
2. ✅ Zones for subsections
3. ✅ Custom functional groups
4. ✅ Clear group names
5. ✅ Avoid too many groups

Visual

1. ✅ Order by frequency or location
2. ✅ Hide unused items
3. ✅ Favorite frequently used
4. ✅ Keep favorites minimal
5. ✅ Regular cleanup

Maintenance

1. ✅ Monthly reviews
2. ✅ Battery monitoring
3. ✅ Documentation updates
4. ✅ Remove clutter
5. ✅ Test automation

Advanced Tips

Power User Organization

Keyboard Shortcuts:

• Learn navigation shortcuts
• Quick access to favorites
• Search hotkey

Workflow Optimization:

• Menu bar for quick tasks
• Studio for management
• Scenes for states
• Rules for automation

Efficiency:

• Minimize clicks
• Use search constantly
• Maintain organization
• Document everything

Professional Setup

For very large installations:

Systematic Approach:

• Complete initial planning
• Document before configuring
• Consistent naming throughout
• Regular maintenance schedule

Scalability:

• Organization that grows
• Clear hierarchy
• Modular groups
• Easy to add devices

Next Steps

Master organization? Explore these topics:

1. Multi-Bridge Setup - Organize multiple bridges
2. Rules Engine - Organize automation
3. Keyboard Shortcuts - Navigate efficiently
4. Studio Window - Master the interface
5. Automation Examples - Organized automation

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Need help? Visit the FAQ or troubleshooting guide.