Toni's build and design tips, tricks and cool finds

Howdie.    For those who mayn't know me yet...my name is Toni (yes, I'm a girl!).  I contribute simmies and lots here at Sugah's.  I've been playing TS2 since it was released in September of 2004!   Before that I played TS1.

Sugah thinks I have a knack for decorating and wanted me to do tutorials, but the truth is, I don't know why I do what I do, I just muck about until stuff looks right to my eyes!  

So while I don't think I'd be any good at doing structured tutorials, I thought I'd just start a thread of things I've discovered along the way, and share those and other tricks and tips, and also links to good tutorials and neat finds.  

I'm a serious trawler of the various TS2 sites and I love to look for stuff, so I'd be happy to help you search if you're on the prowl for something...and of course if you have any questions or would like any advice, feel free to post here.  Post pix too if you like...and of course, please feel free to share your own tips and tricks...after all these years I'm still learning new stuff.

Like this first one I'm going to share to get the ball rolling.  This morning (while sleep was evading me as usual), I got to trying to create the appearance of built in appliances, and discovered that if you use the 'moveobjects on' and 'boolprop snapobjectstogrid false' cheats...you can place a fridge into a wall! (see below).

You have to play around with the placement...if you go in too far your simmie won't be able to access it, and will stand there stomping and whining   But get it right and wow-weeee....does that fridge look awesome or what?!



Note: the wall-mounted oven is fake.  Just a recolored painting.  I don't remember who did it, but I can try to find it later when I get home from work if anyone's interested.

Thanks Ulli!

Just this past week I discovered a fabulous offering by Sims99Fanatic, who has made slotted microwaves and toasters! They're cloned objects so they don't override the Maxis default.

Here's a closeup of the effect in my new kitchen.


TONI TIP: Clutter adds realism to your lots. No jokes!

Here's my new kitchen sans clutter

And now...for a lived in look!


TONI CLUTTER TIP: Clutter according to your simmie's personality.

This home owner is a successful, busy, junior marketing executive.

I figure he's likely to come home with a store bought fancy coffee and a snack, drop his keys and phone on the kitchen counter, plop down on a stool and fire up his laptop.


TONI CLUTTER TIP: Neater sims are likely to have less clutter. You know neat people, everything has a place! But even those homes still have to look lived in, so on to the next tip...

TONI CLUTTER TIP: Think of those things that you'd find in every home.

A kitchen's going to have a place to wash dishes right? So whether it's a simple tea towel or a fancy drain rack...adding one to your simmie's home will give it that realistic touch. And don't forget the dishwashing soap!


And in those bathrooms don't forget to add towels (thank you Maxis for eventually giving us towels!), soap and toilet paper!

I have this obsession with making sure my simmies have a toilet bowl brush. They use them when they're cleaning their toilets right?

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I thought I'd just start a thread of things I've discovered along the way, and share those and other tricks and tips, and also links to good tutorials and neat finds

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This is so awesome, Toni! I'm so glad and excited that you decided to start this thread.
I am already completely enamoured with what you've shared.

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...does that fridge look awesome or what?!

The idea for a built in fridge is SO COOL! Looks great, too!

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I'm a serious trawler of the various TS2 sites and I love to look for stuff, so I'd be happy to help you search if you're on the prowl for something...

Well, since you've asked ... Have you seen this request by yours truly?

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Clutter according to your simmie's personality.
Neater sims are likely to have less clutter.
Think of those things that you'd find in every home.

I particularly like the dirty cups in the sink, laptop on the island counter idea, grocery bag and toilet bowl brush.
Those are great touches and truly make the rooms look more realistic, Toni.
Are all of the areas still playable with the clutter on them?



Thank you for doing this for our little forum.
I appreciate all of your efforts, as always, and am anxious to learn what tips you'll have for us next.



PS Where might I find that sink (love the faucet on it) and the cups in the sink?

Sugah wrote:

Are all of the areas still playable with the clutter on them?

No. As I noted under the pic...it's actually what I do to stop my sims from using the kitchen island to eat if I want to force them to go to the dining room table. I hate one simmie goes to the dining room table and then another one goes to sit by him/herself at the kitchen counter.

In terms of the kitchen counters, you really only need one for prep and then to place a finished group meal, so you can go crazy cluttering up the surfaces.

Also, there's a lot of deco that you can place on the counter's corners. All you need to do, is:

Place an object on the counter.

Then place the deco that sits in the corners in one or both corners.

Then delete the object in the middle...the counter is now usable.



Of course, another way to keep those counter and island surfaces cluttered but usable, is to use OMSPs (One more slot packages). I highly recommend the most versatile ones by Silent Lucidity HERE.

Add stuff anywhere you want and they won't block your simmies or stop them from using anything.

I should note however, that the island pictured in the first posts is part of Buggbooz Kitchen Basic set, has extra slots.

The first slot is the usable one, and all of the others can hold deco...so like the vid shows above...place an object, fill up the other slots and delete that first object so your sim can use that slot.

Sugah wrote:

Thank you for doing this for our little forum.
I appreciate all of your efforts, as always, and am anxious to learn what tips you'll have for us next.

Sugah wrote:

PS Where might I find that sink (love the faucet on it) and the cups in the sink?

The sink is part of Guatla's stellar Broken Kitchen...it's in the small objects file on the download page.

Angelways created the dirty dishes in the sink. It's actually cloned from a wall hanging, so it doesn't interfere with the usability of the sink. Cool aren't they? Have had them in my game for years.

She also made a sink-full-of-dishes (with water). You'll find them on the same page.

Thanks for starting this thread, Toni!

As I've mentioned a squazillion times, you have such a gift for decorating your homes so that they look warm and domestic and realistic. I love looking at your rooms! My recent cluttering was inspired by visits to the Harbour!

Teach me thee arts, Oh Wise Cluttery One...

The comparison of before and after photos shows just how a kitchen goes from that "kitchen showroom catalogue" feel to looking as though it's used. Even if only briefly by that busy marketing exec.

Putting the fridge in the wall is pure genius! I think I once did that by accident and just assumed it could never be functional in any way.

I love Silent Lucidity's OMSP's, which you mentioned here. By far the most versatile and user-friendly of any I've tried. In fact, after I used them the first session, I went back into my Downloads folder and biffed out the others!

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Angelways created the dirty dishes in the sink. It's actually cloned from a wall hanging, so it doesn't interfere with the usability of the sink. Cool aren't they? Have had them in my game for years.

I love stuff like this!

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I have this obsession with making sure my simmies have a toilet bowl brush.

Toni, can I ask where you found your adored toilet-brush?

Also, I've always loved that orange dishwashing-liquid when I saw it in your kitchens at the Harbour.
My sims all have Palmolive (from the set with the sponge and cloth, which had me singing, "Oh happy day, Jesus was born" when I found it ). It would be great to change it in a couple of the houses. I'd be ever so grateful...

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TONI CLUTTER TIP: Clutter according to your simmie's personality.

No, Jack isn't just exasperated trying to figure out that age-old question of why women need so many shoes...

Why does Jessica need so much of everything??!!
She must be seriously maxing out their credit-cards, this girl!

Thanks for the bed-spread, Sugah. It's gorgeous!

She's a model. Need I say more?

I just kept layering those dresses on the wall (with "move_objects" and "boolprop snapobjectstogrid false"). I also use "boolprop allow45DegreeAngleOfRotation true" for placing things at angles, like Jessica's cosmetics and shoes (which still get in his way!)

"Oh Wise Cluttery One"

AaaaAAhhhhh, my dearest dearest Jayce, flattery will get you everywhere with me! I'm so neeeedy!

Poor Jack! He just doesn't get us cluttery types! Tee hee!

I have held on to some of the original OSMPs, because the table ones allow you to place lamps and electronics on them, while with SL's you have to go through the hassle of placing them on the small electronics OSMP and then onto a shiftable one.

On the other hand, the original ones can block your simmies, so you've got to place them just right. You know how whiny blocked-path simmies can be. *sheesh*

Oh...I soooo overuse the 45 degree angle cheat. I have it in my user start up cheat so I don't have to type it in every time.

I've also recently started a close relationship with the SetQuarter Tile Placement cheat that was added with Mansions and Gardens.

Now, as to that toilet bowl brush, it's part of a free set by Windkeeper at TSR. You'll find it HERE. You do have to register, but it is free. He's got some great clutter!

I've had that toilet set your yeeeeeeears. He also does toilet paper and some great soap and toothbrush sets.

There's also a toilet brush-toilet paper object that's part of Guatla's Broken Bathroom, but I prefer Windkeeper's as the brush is separate and allows you to mix and match with all the toilet paper options out there.

You gotta have that variety! Not everyone's going to have the same set up in their homes, right?

Speaking of toilet paper, Phoenix Phaerie has some nice, elegant tp roll holders in her Manor House Washroom

As to the dishwashing liquid and sponge (my absolute fave, 'cause it's got both together, which is handy...AND it sits in corners). Now...it was made my Alban, who has retired from the community.

He/she did have some stuff at TSR which has a restrictive policy about sharing. However, this particular object, part of a set called BekDecorations was not posted there.

Alban used to have his/her own site, but that set is not among those posted at The Sims Graveyard.

Check your Inbox for a bit more 'sekrit' detail.

Who could believe a toilet brush and dishwashing-liquid could make one man so happy?

I'm a country boy. We're pretty simple, really.

Toni, my simmies and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

What a great little tip/video for placing decor on counters so they are still usable!

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Angelways created the dirty dishes in the sink. It's actually cloned from a wall hanging, so it doesn't interfere with the usability of the sink. Cool aren't they?

Yes, VERY cool. I've always liked Susan's creations. Do not know how I missed these!
And cloned from a Maxis poster! Sooo neat!
Thank you for providing the links.

Also, I appreciate the links to the Manor House Washroom (nice set)!

Jayce wrote:

As I've mentioned a squazillion times, you have such a gift for decorating your homes so that they look warm and domestic and realistic. I love looking at your rooms!

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Teach me thee arts, Oh Wise Cluttery One...

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No, Jack isn't just exasperated trying to figure out that age-old question of why women need so many shoes...

TOO FUNNY!
I love the way you decorated Jessica's room/wall, Jayce.
(Those Hawai'i posters are fabulous, dahling.)

And thank you for the lovely compliment on my bedding.
I'm so glad you like it.

The recessed refrigerator is too cool! I'm going to have to try that some time!

Great tips! Thanks for the links. (I think we need a post with just links to cool downloads that we like) My poor simmies are missing so many things in their little lives, soap, toilet paper.

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Thanks for the bed-spread, Sugah. It's gorgeous!

When I first read that, I was thinking, Bedspread? What bedspread? I thought it was a rug from that angle.

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Oh...I soooo overuse the 45 degree angle cheat. I have it in my user start up cheat so I don't have to type it in every time.

I used to have that in mine too, until I had to reinstall. I seriously need to put it back in now that you've all reminded me about it again. I'm reminded almost every time I play and have to type it back in again, but still haven't yet. It really should have been an automatic feature and not a cheat. It's the one that there isn't any reason to ever turn off.

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I've also recently started a close relationship with the SetQuarter Tile Placement cheat that was added with Mansions and Gardens.

Sounds interesting. Too bad I don't have M&G.

P.S. When I checked in on this thread before (didn't have time to comment at the time) Chase commented that he thought your toilet was really silly because it didn't have a lid.

SimEm wrote:

When I checked in on this thread before (didn't have time to comment at the time) Chase commented that he thought your toilet was really silly because it didn't have a lid.

And he's right! lol! The kid slays me, Em! You can blame Maxis for that. It's one of their K&B ones!

Glad you like the thread. I thought of a links list too while I was posting here. It's a great idea. Right now this is more of an unstructured rambling kinda thread.

Maybe...some organized, science-y type might want to consider starting to pull the links out of this as we go along and start categorizing them: Decor - bathroom, living room, kids, artist, music....I wonder if we have one of those types around these parts

Oh...and thank you too Sugah!