Project Homey: The Foundation

Phase 1 (MVP 1.0): Kitchen & Groceries * Focus: Food inventory, expiry tracking, meal planning * Rationale: Most urgent pain point with daily impact * Success metrics: Eliminate food waste, streamline grocery shopping

Future Phases: * Phase 2: Garage & Tools - Track tools, seasonal items, maintenance supplies * Phase 3: Closet & Wardrobe - Clothing inventory, seasonal rotation * Phase 4: Pantry Beyond Food - Household supplies, cleaning products * Phase 5: Electronics & Warranties - Device tracking, warranty management * Phase 6: Hobbies & Collections - Craft supplies, books, memorabilia

The architecture is designed to support any item type in any location hierarchy, making kitchen groceries simply the first use case, not a limitation.

The app is a shared household resource. All communication and data should be worded objectively. * Example: Instead of "Your Coriander," the app says "The Coriander." * Reason: This ensures the UI remains relevant regardless of which family member is looking at the screen or if cloud-sync is added later.

Homey assumes that once an item enters the home, it often loses its original packaging. * Rule: The app must bridge the "Information Gap" by storing the expiry and location data that the physical container cannot hold.

The app is not a passive list; it is a caretaker with two primary goals: 1. Eliminate Waste: Alert the user to consume items before they expire. 2. Ensure Availability: Nudge the user to restock essential items during shopping windows (e.g., weekends) before they run out.

The user should spend more time using the house and less time managing the app. * Rule: Automation (Scanning/OCR) is the preferred path. The app should "learn" repetitive habits (e.g., knowing that Milk always goes in the fridge) to minimize future data entry.

We know the kitchen module is successful if: * The user no longer feels the "phantom stress" of wondering if items are spoiled or missing. * The weekly shopping list is generated automatically based on consumption patterns. * The time between "Getting the receipt" and "Data stored" is less than 30 seconds. * Food waste decreases measurably (user self-report or tracked expired items).

Across all home management domains, Homey succeeds when: * Reduced Mental Load: Users report feeling less stressed about household organization. * Time Savings: Finding items takes seconds, not minutes of searching. * Proactive Notifications: Users discover issues before they become problems (e.g., running out, expiring, needing maintenance). * Minimal Data Entry: Less than 1 minute per day of manual input on average.