LittleBits has become well known in the community of modular electronics. The company continues to “democratize hardware” by introducing new ways of connecting and linking items to the internet, like the CloudBit device announced last July. LittleBit's latest idea is a new Smart Home Kit, which includes the CloudBit and 13 other bits for transforming your home into a world of hacked electronics.

As stated by LittleBits in a blog post Tuesday, “the Smart Home Kit was designed to help DIYers retrofit and connect their existing home appliances rather than tossing out perfectly fine equipment in favor of expensive new gadgets”. It's true that many current smart home companies are encouraging us to have an “out with the old, in with the new” attitude, but in reality, that is unnecessary, especially for people that love DIY. Save that unloved toaster oven, it has more potential than you know.

In addition to the CloudBit piece, which gives you the freedom of connecting almost anything in your home to the web, other bits include a temperature sensor, LCD display, AC switch, MP3 player, and an IR transmitter. With these, users can take that toaster oven out of the cupboard and link it up with their smartphone, or hook up their lamp to be presence-aware. LittleBits CEO Ayah Bdeir points out the importance of user creativity. LittleBits gives people the opportunity to devise their own solutions for the home, which is both a unique and less expensive alternative than letting the big companies in.

The funnest part about this is the ideas people come up with. Wired had some pretty interesting examples, like using the kit's sound sensor and counter to rig up a “Bark Tracker” that would alert you when your dog barks more than 20 times. What about if you had a kid in the house that always leaves the refrigerator door open? You could use the temperature sensor to alert you when that happens! Finally, a rather silly idea, how about using the MP3 player to play “waiting music” for the pizza delivery guy at the front door? Don't forget about LittleBits ever-growing online community, where members are free to share and upload their project ideas with instructions.

The kit, at $249, also comes with 11 accessories for snapping the items together without the need for tools. You decide what items you want to be smart, and connect them in a way you know you could benefit from. It is all about simplicity and creativity. The only problem I see is the fact that the kit only comes with one CloudBit, meaning, if you want to create more than one internet-connected device, you'll need to dish out $60 per additional CloudBit. So, that's kind of a bummer. But if you've got ideas and are ready to start hacking, LittleBits is now a retail partner of RadioShack, who is currently selling the Smart Home Kit in stores across the U.S.