While this isn't distinctly related to smart home, I figure surely people have come across this.
There's a few places where I think adding a label would be a good idea. I don't have a laser engraver, which I think would obviously be the best. But also outsourcing that would be very expensive and potentially impossible on some switches/devices.
In my searches I've seen random uses of the labels, most often the sort of standard printed text on a white sticker... and it sort of just ends up looking so out of place/tacky.
Is there a better solution? A clear label where the sticker part doesn't still stick out like a sore thumb? What about something along the lines of what happens with temporary tattoos where it seems the ink sticks, but the sticker doesn't?
I've used clear mailing labels to print label text on, the cut out the portion with the text and stuck it to the buttons on Pico. Works pretty well, but over time oils and such from fingers can gum up the edges of the clear labels.
Well I've a few recommendations based on the image
1 - The lower 3 labels shouldn't be necessary. On and off should be pretty obvious
2 - Stick the labels on straight! Print the labels too long and place them all with the wording aligned, then using a rule and a sharp blade trim the excess white space so that all vertical edges of the tape are horizontally aligned.
3 - You might get a better result with one of these, if you can be precise.
Joking aside. I wonder if some fancy stencil is available.
I use that method, but I use the clear P-touch labels, so it blends in better and looks almost OEM. Be warned the machine is programmed by brother to waste at least 1 inche$$$ of tape for each print, so print all the labels together and cut them. Surprised there hasn't been a class action for their wasting of tape purposefully
BTW the aqara opple switch is a pretty amazing device, up to 36 actions, of which I need labels to remember 6 of them. It had incredible battery life on a single CR2032
I am looking for a Touchscreen-based Scene Controller with ability to create a custom
buttons and labels. Something like small dashboard. Unfortunately I didn't find anything
ready to go. So, I am thinking about using very cheap old smartphone.
"Waterslide decal paper" comes in inkjet and laser printer versions. You can lay out the design in Inkscape or Illustrator, make a few prints on paper to make sure you're happy with the design, and then print on the decal paper. It works just like the decals for model airplanes and cars: dip in water, slide off of paper, and place on the surface. With the clear decals you can make something with much more wife appeal than what you can do with a label maker.
That's what my house looked like when I bought it. The previous owner stuck little cutup sticky notes next to everything. There wasn't any smart automation involved, just lots of switches. (Six next to the front door.)
I know the OP said no lasers but that's what I went with. Tacky labels just drive me nuts.
