zlacker

The light switch in our primary bedroom is, as you describe, within reach when you enter the room. It controls a switched outlet near the bed that has a lamp plugged into it. When it comes time to turn out the light to go to sleep, you have two non-ideal choices: get up from bed to turn the lamp off using the switch near the door, or stay in bed and turn the lamp off manually, meaning the next time you operate the wall switch the lamp won't turn on (unless you remembered to turn the lamp back on in the morning).

>>oldand+(OP)
Ah, it sounds like you need smart switches then. :)

In my case I just have two lights. The ceiling one is controlled by a switch near the door, and the lamp is controlled by a switch on its cord. I use either depending on what I'm doing.

>>oldand+(OP)
I have a lamp right next to my bed that I also turn on as part of my going to bed routine, so that I turn off the room light, get in bed, and still have light.

This is a lot cheaper than a home automation system.

>>davidw+E3
1. Enter bedroom

2. Turn on primary light

3. Walk to bedside lamp and turn it on

4. Walk back to primary light and turn it off

5. Walk back to bed and climb in

6. Turn off beside lamp.

It's not _the worst_, but it is toil.

>>flerch+g7
On the bright side, it's a few more steps on your pedometer.

>>flerch+g7
3-way switches are the best solution here. Switch the bedside lamp on from the main switch by the door, and then off again from a second switch at the bedside. Many stairways are like this: you can control the lights from the switches at the bottom or the top of the stairs.

>>flerch+g7
It is possible to work these steps into your routine.

1. Enter bedroom 2. Turn on primary light 3. Do getting ready for bed activities. 4. Turn on lamp when convenient 5. Use bathroom 6. Turn off main lights 7. Get in bed and turn off the lamp.

>>flerch+g7
This was solved in the 90s. The actual lightswitch can be mounted in a wireless remote that sockets into the switch plate by the door. You just take the switch with you to the bedside table. In the morning when you leave the room you socket it back into the switch plate.

>>stonog+tK
This was solved probably around 1880: 3-way switches

>>elzbar+ug1
My stairway/upstairs lights are on a 4-way switch. I’ve never researched it but presumably one could build out a 5-way or 6-way switch by adding more switches wired the “middle” way. I’m sure there’s a term for the two wire switch in the middle but I’m no electrician.

>>elzbar+ug1
The same cost to get an electrician out to wire in one 3-way switch paid for an apartment of smart (plug-in) outlets for me. And since it’s a rental, I would not have been allowed to actually add the 3-way switch.

>>elzbar+ug1
Have you seen a room wired with a second lightswitch specifically for the bedside? I'd be interested to know if anyone's done this.