Not so long ago, we were lucky to have two landlines in our home, and multiple television sets so everyone had a bit more freedom in communicating and being entertained. That was advanced stuff for a long while. Televisions started appearing in more rooms than just the living area or family room, when they branched out into the bedrooms, then to the kitchen and bathrooms. To mount a TV on the wall, or to have an entire powerful computer that fit in your pocket that was connected to you and the rest of the world at all times was such a far fetched idea, yet now, it’s hard to imagine life without these devices and Wi-Fi in our homes. Each generation experiences their own radical advancement in technology, among other areas, while surrounding generations have to learn to adapt, or are born into it, not knowing any differently. Our homes have always been a safe space to rest at night, come to for refuge from the world, converse with our loved ones, store our material belongings, represent our tastes and so much more functionality. Now, many people work from their home office, or makeshift office. Let’s explore a few top changes that have occurred within the home in the recent years:
1.TVs mounted on the wall. Technology and design have improved the quality of the picture and sound, as well as the size and weight of the devices, so much so they can be hung on the wall with the help of TV wall mounts. TVs can be hung straight on the wall, completely out of the way and free up a tremendous amount of space. Mounting TVs on the wall also creates a bit more safety, especially when there are little ones around that could knock them over or pull them down.
2.Smart devices. Televisions, door knobs, refrigerators, microwaves, alarm clocks, cameras, thermostats, garage doors and so many more devices are all connected to Wi-Fi, enabling a fully automated home, should one want to take it that far. It’s easier now than ever to have every room weaved into a comprehensive all connected web. Newly built homes come with smart devices and infrastructure included, which makes it all the more progressive for those that wish for a more technologically advanced home.
3.Home offices. With a laptop and an Internet connection, most office work can be done from any location, including home offices. Trends increasing in volume to enable employees, freelancers, contractors and self-employed to work from the comfort of a home office is a new norm in many industries. Employees that are home based save the company thousands each year in office space per head, and provide a whole host of benefits to the employee. From a reduction in commuting costs, eating out, time spent wasted in the office when there is downtime and so many more benefits are experienced when working from home. Before technology enabled this, it was not feasible to do much work in the comfort of your home. Home offices are the norm and growing in popularity across the world, and across all industries.
How has your own home changed within the last few years and decades? Co-housing and renting out extra rooms are other ways that have changed the way in which we live, and it can vary by family and individual. There’s no prescribed approach now, it’s truly whatever works for you and your situation is best for society.