(First of all, apologies for taking an eternity to answer this ask. It’s a good thing tumblr doesn’t include timestamps on messages because that would make me feel WAY WORSE.)

But anyway! This is a hard question to answer, because there’s really no set method to my downloading/decorating madness. It’s more a matter of if I see CC I like, I download it. 🙂 I don’t really sit around saying, “mehhhhh this really isn’t Maxis-match enough”. If I really like something, in my game it goes. I shy away from writing that isn’t Simlish (although if the writing is super small/subtle, I make the occasional exception). Most of my “realistic” CC is usually clutter. :3 I also have a weakness for a good rustic wood texture, so I have a lot of furniture recolors that aren’t exactly maxis-match, but they make a nice contrast in an otherwise simple/clean-textured room. 

I tend to be more Maxis-match when it comes to CAS – hair, clothes, etc. But even some of my skins/makeup/facial enhancers? may give some of my sims a more realistic look. But I’m all about TS3/TS4 conversions, recycled/updated Maxis meshes, etc. for clothes! 

Basically, the whole point of this is, there are no set rules governing how to play this game. There’s no checklist that says to be MM you MUST or MUST NOT use certain items. Plenty of people who are considered MM branch out from time to time when it comes to decorating or making sims. Some people prefer MM decorating but realistic sims, or vice versa. I feel like the game becomes more of a chore if you have to consciously restrict yourself from downloading content because you feel it won’t fit your aesthetic. Experiment and go crazy with new content! Your dl folder won’t like it, but I assure you, it’s a good time. 

As for a good starting place, I guess decide which aspect of your game you’d like to branch out from first? Like, if you want your sims to be on the more realistic side, try downloading a more realistic eye set or a few hairstyles with a more realistic hair texture? Really, it’s completely up to you! There’s no right or wrong way to play, just mix and match until you find what works for you! I used to play a completely realistic game until I tried some MM content, and then I realized that’s what worked for me. You just gotta try different things. 🙂