I remember back when modding really took off with Oblivion and OBMM was huge, we at some point figured out certain categories were generally best in a certain order. I'm not sure if that's the case anymore, but if it is, what would it be? I know the major obvious files go first (skyrim.esm, update.esm, officials/unofficials.esm and .esp), but I can't seem to remember the rest, in general. I have a mind that it's something like:

- UI tweaks

- visual/weather

- lighting/sound

- item/weapon/armor/home adds

- minor tweaks with no patch needs

- major tweaks/overhauls

- minor tweaks with patch needs

- patches

- bashed patch if you use it

something like that? I have about 170 mods sitting here, waiting to get installed and turned on. It's a trip using BOSS to help with the load order from it's master list, but svcks when you have specific recommendations from the mod makers that differ from BOSS. Makes me feel like I have no idea what I should do. So many mods out there, but the mods themselves aren't even the worst: it's the patches that come from left field and multiple places for the same mod--like you never know if you missed a patch and now the game is gonna explode O_O

Going from BOSS (a couple of months ago, so it may have updated) here is a list:

wow, thanks for that. reading through it things have definitely changed, but some of those entries mean nothing to me, like those first few, and there are others that seem very specific or very general. odd setup now.

would this setup being the typical load order of choice also be the typical install order of choice? still not sure of a few of those categories there, either. earliest mods? general base?

Sometimes mods have special requirements, and don't fit into the normal order for their category. So certain categories like "Earliest Mods" aren't actually categories in the same sense that Armor or Follower mods are categories.

Earliest Mods, for example, includes:

xvision children, koreantranslation_signs, Agony's Sorting Frenzy, etc.

So the standard categories are suggestions and an indicator of good "rules of thumb", but it ultimately comes down to the needs of the particular mod (which are often explained in the mod's docs if necessary).