The Sims 1: 10 Essential Investments Every Home Should Always Have

Now that the original Sims has been modernized and released on Steam, both seasoned Sims players and newcomers to The Sims 1 are flocking to the game to experience its nostalgic charm and see where the beloved franchise first began. However, for the newer players, The Sims 1 is a bit of a shock with its more demanding gameplay, lack of quality-of-life features, and unforgiving gameplay mechanics.

Fortunately, like in other Sims games, there are ways players can make the gameplay a little more manageable. All it takes is to invest in the right equipment. Certain objects and services will drastically improve a Sim's quality of life, making balancing their needs and daily tasks easier, and the best early-on investments can help keep a Sim happy, healthy, and thriving.

10 Wake Up On Time For Work With An Alarm Clock

Take Care Of A Sim's Needs Before Work

Alarm clocks have been around since the beginning of The Sims franchise. While often overlooked, these handy little devices are essential to keep Sims on schedule. As demanding as The Sims 1 can be in terms of basically everything, it's important to keep Sims on time and well-rested. Alarm clocks help by waking Sims up two hours before the carpool arrives to haul them off to work.

They're not too expensive, so it's not a huge investment but totally worth it. At just §30 Simoleons, the typical surface SnoozMore Alarm Clock can be placed on a nightstand beside a working Sim's bed. Since the alarm clock wakes them up with two hours to spare, a Sim will have enough time to shower, eat, and care for their needs before work.

9 Catch Burglars And Keep Property Safe With A Burglar Alarm

A Small Investment To Keep Prized Possessions Safe

Burglars are rare in The Sims 1 and are often drawn to more wealthy families. However, it's better to be safe than sorry. If a Sim is from a medium to low-income household, being robbed by a burglar can be a huge setback. Since burglars tend to steal more expensive items like TVs and electronics, losing just one valuable object can make a big dent in a Sim's finances. Thus, installing a burglar alarm is vital to keeping a Sim's property and finances safe.

While burglar alarms won't prevent burglars from breaking into a home, the alarm will alert police, who will arrive mere seconds later. The burglar will surrender, and the police will arrest him and reward the family with §1,000 Simoleons. Unfortunately, by the time the police arrive, the burglar may have already pocketed a few items. The police will confiscate these items as evidence, and while you won't get them back, the Sim will be reimbursed for them.

8 Help Put A Stop To Fires With A Smoke Detector

Keep A Smoke Detector By All Cooking Devices

Smoke detectors won't prevent fires, but they are the quickest and surest way of stopping them and preventing them from destroying your entire property. Every home should have them, and there should be multiple in a home if there is more than one room with fire hazards, as smoke detectors only cover the room they're placed in.

Starting out in The Sims, all a Sim's skills will be low — including their cooking skill. They'll also likely only be able to afford the cheapest appliances, making fire hazards even more common. The odds are that fires will break out once or twice in your household, so having a smoke detector is a must. Even as you develop your skills and buy better appliances, keeping smoke detectors around is still a good idea.

7 Learn Essential Skills With A Bookcase

Level Up Cooking Skills And More With Books

Speaking of fires, the leading cause of fires in The Sims is cooking. Particularly, cooking on a stove, although cooking even on a grill can cause a fire to start. Sims who are low in the Cooking skill are more likely to cause a fire to start. Pair a low Cooking skill with a cheap appliance, and it's a disaster waiting to happen.

To improve Cooking skills, invest in a bookcase. The cheapest bookcase is §250, which can be expensive starting out. However, in the long run, investing in a bookcase is better than replacing an entire home due to a fire. Or, worse, fail The Sims because Sims die in a fire. Bookcases help with more than just cooking — they can help a Sim improve their mechanical skills and provide a place for kids to study.

More expensive bookcases come with even more benefits. While the cheapest bookcase improves fun by one, more expensive bookcases can improve fun scores by two and three. The expensive bookcases can also teach Sims even more skills.

6 Get Help Keeping Your Home Clean With Maid Services

Prevent Flies And Roaches From Becoming A Problem

Keeping your home clean is a full-time job. On top of the full-time job a Sim already has, that leaves little time for them to take care of their other needs. While hiring an NPC service might seem like an expensive and unnecessary luxury, it's really not. In fact, it's a necessity to maintain a functional and happy household.

Hiring a maid is a must once a Sim can afford their actual necessities of food and bills. Not only will it free up time that the Sim can use to take care of their other needs, like fun, but you'll be able to solve issues like flies and bugs before they become a problem. Messy homes can draw things like free-roaming flies and cockroaches, which are a pain to get rid of once they appear. Butlers can also be hired and have more services, including serving food, caring for babies, and repairing broken objects.

5 Invest In A Good Bed To Maximize A Sim's Energy Levels

Get A Good Night's Rest And Keep A Sim Feeling Refreshed

Beds are more than just a place for Sims to sleep. A good bed will make a Sim feel well-rested, improve their energy and comfort, and decrease their stress levels. While a Sim can fall asleep almost anywhere, including on the floor, it's not recommended that you go without a bed. Not just any bed, a good bed.

You might need to skimp on the quality of the bed at first, but as soon as you can afford to upgrade, do so. In The Sims, prices range from §300-§3,000, so consider dropping a few hundred to even closer to a grand on a decent bed. The better the bed, the more well-rested a Sim will be in the morning, reflected by their energy levels. Better energy means a Sim won't need naps and won't be at risk of passing out. They will be able to go through their day being more productive.

4 Buy A Good TV To Improve A Sim's Fun Levels

Watching TV Is A Good And Easy Way To Get Some Fun In

Part of The Sims ​​​​​​experience is tending to a Sim's needs. One of their needs is fun, which can come from several different avenues. Socializing can increase their fun, but it also takes time and can be stressful for both the Sim and the player to keep up with. Watching television is a surefire and easy way to increase a Sim's fun level.

In The Sims 1, the TV's functions are mostly the same no matter which one you choose. However, more expensive models will also improve Room scores, which can help boost a Sim's overall mood and make their home feel more homey. It's always a good idea to invest in a higher-quality TV set.

3 Choose The Right Cooking Appliance To Satisfy Hunger Cravings

Invest In Cooking Appliances To Make Easy Meals

The Sims is a life simulation game, and taking care of Sims is the same as taking care of a real person. Sims are going to get hungry and need to eat, and to satisfy their hunger cravings, playersneed to invest in some cookware. Don't invest in a stove right away as that's just a fire hazard waiting to happen. First, you should improve Cooking skills and save money to invest in a more expensive stove. Until then, start out small with a microwave and refrigerator to make simple meals.

After reaching level two in cooking, invest in an outdoor grill to make better quality food and improve skills further. Then, at level three, you can invest in a stove. Choose one of the better-quality stoves to reduce the risk of fire further. Remember to also invest in a smoke detector and place it near a grill or stove just in case things get smokey.

2 Adopt A Pet To Keep Loneliness Away

Pets Are Good Company And Provide Fun

Adult Sims have a lot of responsibilities to keep up with: going to work, keeping up with the household, cooking food, and taking care of their own needs. It's hard to find time to socialize outside work relationships, and making friends in The Sims 1 is demanding. Friends expect Sims to be there for them daily with phone calls. It can be exhausting to do that and keep up with everything else a Sim needs to keep up with, especially if they have a family.

So, if a Sim feels lonely, it might be time to adopt a pet. This will require The Sims: Unleashed expansion pack, which introduces pets to The Sims 1, but installing it provides the choice to adopt and/or own cats, dogs, birds, fish, and reptiles. Pets add another responsibility to a Sim's life, but since the pet lives with the Sim, it shouldn't be too difficult to keep up with them. Plus, if you've hired a maid, then the maid can clean up after pets and keep the home looking tidy.

1 Hire A Gardener To Upkeep The Yard Work

Gardeners Will Tend To Plants And Fill In Holes

Lastly, as far as chores go in The Sims 1, keeping up with yard work can be a hassle — especially if a Sim owns a dog who likes to dig up holes in your yard. Luckily, a gardener will both tend to plants and fill up any holes left by a pet.

It's not a huge necessity, but it is a nice quality-of-life improvement that keeps plants alive and well so that a Sim doesn't have to worry about them. It also helps maintain a higher Room score, since plants will be tended to and not left to wither and die. Gardeners come once every three days and charge §10 per hour.

These Sims 1 investments may seem like small additions, but they make a huge difference in managing a Sim's daily life. Since the earlier installment of the franchise is certainly more demanding, with fewer quality-of-life features than the latest installment, any small purchase and feature can help. Don't count even the smallest of investments of an alarm clock, because it will help you keep your Sim on their toes.