The term smarthome has been kicking around for a few years. It once referred to the stuff of dreams, fantasies and more importantly, the future. But that's no longer the case as the smarthome is very much the here and now.

We might still be a few decades away from the washing machine loading itself and hanging your pants up on the line when the cycle is finished, but there are hundreds of products already available on the market today that will more than happily make your home a smart one.

Whether it's controlling your heating and lighting remotely, texting your robotic hoover to clean the kitchen, or simply having the ability to see what is happening in your house when you aren't home, there are plenty of devices and gadgets to help you.

Over the next 90 days, we will be bringing you various features on the smarthome, from how to achieve one for under £500, to what terms such as IFTTT mean and how you can use them to your advantage.

A connected home doesn't need to be intrusive or expensive and it is certainly something you can achieve today rather than something you need to wait another few years for. Over the next three months we will explain how the smarthome is now and why you should bother investing in your home's future. So sit back, relax, and get ready to make your four walls clever.

All the smarthome features over the next three months will be available alongside the usual smarthome news and reviews in our smarthome hub.