Building and decorating houses is a major component of any game in The Sims 4, and with the wide array of items and DLC, simmers are spoiled for choice. However, it's for this reason that the choices can also feel overwhelming, especially for players new to The Sims 4 who are trying to decide which packs are worth buying.
While it may be impossible to pin down any single DLC pack as having the best objects, players can take solace in the fact that there are great items to choose from across all packs that cover their tastes and play styles. Whether they're looking for sleek, cozy, or just plain functional, buy mode has an item for everyone, if they know where to look.
13 Steamy Times Shower
- Price: §260
- Pack: Snowy Escape
For households that are just starting out, on a tight budget, or just prefer a sleek and minimalist look, the Steamy Times Shower is a great choice. In addition to being one of the cheaper options for showers, the shower is smaller and more compact than its walled alternatives.
This makes it perfect for smaller bathrooms, more advanced home designs, or anyone attempting to create their own tiny home. More than that, it offers a unique look that makes it stand out from the rest of the showers, so players don’t have to sacrifice looks when they’re low on Simoleons.
12 NanoCan Touchless Trash Can
- Price: §1,200
- Pack: Base Game
No one likes taking out the trash, but that’s what the NanoCan Touchless Trash Can is for. Unlike other trash cans, NanoCan not only never needs to be emptied, but will also provide the household with some Simoleons every time it’s used.
It can be a little harder to add into a room due to its unique appearance, so players who care a lot about the aesthetics of their home may have a harder time integrating it into their home. However, as a source of Simoleons that’s functional even off-the-grid, it’s a worthy investment.
11 Big Fish Tanks
- Price: §295-595
- Packs: Spa Day, Dine Out, Cats & Dogs
Big fish tanks are a more classic choice, but they work for a reason. For rooms that have the space or feel like they’re missing something, a good fish tank is a great way to fill that void without spending too much.
In addition, they double as the perfect place to show off any fish Sims caught and are particularly proud of. Fish will swim peacefully in the water and require little maintenance, too, giving simmers a great way to personalize their home without much work.
10 Crosshatch Delight
- Price: §600
- Pack: Seasons
In terms of beds, the Crosshatch Delight has to be one of the most flexible when it comes to decoration and style. Made of soft, quilted bedding and a minimal bed frame, the Crosshatch Delight blends in with a room and doesn’t stand out – which is what makes it so useful.
Builders who use this bed will have a large array of color swatches to choose from to fit whatever color scheme they’re aiming for. Even if the style shifts throughout the game, the low price, comfy design, and flexible colors make it a perfect choice for heavily designed rooms on a tight budget or anyone who wants a simple, cozy look to their home.
9 Bunk / Lofted Beds
- Price: §600-1,430
- Packs: Base Game, Dream Home Decorator
Bunk beds are a classic both in and out of the game. Luckily, as of March 2021, players are now able to add bunk beds to their households after a free update that added them to the base game.
In addition to being a fun and practical way to do more with a smaller space, simmers have several choices when it comes to filling the space under their lofted bed. Desks, dressers, and any single bed can be placed under the lofted bed, allowing for plenty of choices to mix and match to create a unique style.
8 Trouk Fringe
- Price: §120
- Pack: City Living
A well-placed rug can make or break a room’s design, which makes choosing one for a room a perfect finishing touch. For those unsure of one to choose, or who feel lost trying to find the perfect design and color, Trouk Fringe is a great one to start with.
As a medium-sized rug, it can fit in almost any room as the perfect accent. Additionally, its huge array of colors, patterns, and even textures make it incredibly easy to use multiple times without looking repetitive.
7 Wall Scrolls
- Price: §185
- Pack: City Living
Wall scrolls are a perfect way to brighten up the walls in a room for players looking for something different from all the posters and paintings available. Their long and narrow shape makes them easy to decorate in smaller spaces, and they come in six different designs that span several color schemes, giving designers several choices that have a very different feel from each other.
Whether a player is looking for something warm, intricate, and earthy, a blue moonlit night, or a bright cherry blossom banner, chances are one of the wall scrolls will fit the bill for the unique styles of different players.
6 Borded Text
- Price: §240
- Pack: City Living
For those looking for a clean and simple design and a lower price (or who consider a low price just a bonus), Borded Text is a perfect choice. Offering a simple wood cabinet with shelves adorned with books all in a metal frame, the Borded Text bookshelf is a solid choice with many color options that let it fit into just about any room.
The empty parts of its shelves allow space for two small decor items of the players’ choice, whether it's plants, clutter, or family photos. Between simple but elegant design, storage, and room for decoration, this bookshelf doesn’t look like it should be one of the cheapest bookshelves.
5 Illustrious Secretaire
- Price: §350
- Pack: Seasons
Sometimes all a room needs is a simple wooden desk. For the ones that do, the Illustrious Secretaire delivers a clean, simple look with a curved wood design on the back to give it just enough flair to add something extra to the room.
It also comes with a large array of different wood shades, ranging from light to dark and from cool to warm. Between the flexible array of color swatches as well as its simple design with just enough flair to make it stand out, the writing desk can be a perfect addition to almost any room design.
4 Ship In A Bottle — By The Whitlin Group
- Price: §100
- Pack: Eco Lifestyle
It’s no secret that smaller decorations can change a room’s look immensely, and for that reason, it’s important to choose an accent that feels right. For any room with too much empty surface space, the Ship in a Bottle can go a long way in both decorating a room and making it feel lived in.
Providing two bottles available in a few different color swatches, all adorned with a small sprout of greenery in each, the Ship in a Bottle offers a small amount of cluttered decor that would be low maintenance in a real home, making it a practical choice for a household of Sims, too (even if it’s purely aesthetic).
3 Lilacs & Lanterns
- Price: §255
- Pack: Movie Hangout Stuff
Lilacs & Lanterns is a more unusual choice, but for designers looking to create the perfect yard, it’s a must-have. In addition to providing a massive oak tree that can envelop an entire yard in shade, the paper lanterns hanging from its branches are a beautiful decoration that will light up every night, and compliment the changing fall leaves (for those with Seasons installed).
When paired with a fire pit and seating area, it becomes the perfect place for romantic getaways or anyone who’s looking for a way to make their garden stand out.
2 LaundryMaid Essentials Shelving
- Price: §180
- Pack: Laundry Day Stuff
Bathrooms can be difficult to design in The Sims 4. Space is too tight or too big, everything feels either empty or too crowded, and outside basic utilities, it can be hard to know what else to add that makes it feel like a real bathroom.
Luckily, these shelves can help with at least one of those issues. Featuring two shelves, some towels, hangers, a clothes iron, a plant, and several baskets of linens, LaundryMaid easily blends into a bathroom all while looking like something that would get a lot of use in real life.
1 Wicker Whims Shelving
- Price: §125
- Pack: Laundry Day Stuff
Walls are difficult. It’s hard to tell just how much empty wall is “too much” and then what should be put on it? Lots of portraits and paintings can be hit or miss when it comes to matching them with the style of the room.
Wicker Whims is a great solution to these issues with a few spread-out wicker baskets hung on the wall, interspersed with four small shelves that are just big enough for one small item each, providing players with wall decor as well as space to display household items and decorations.
The Sims 4 is available for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.