1. Fallout4 Essentials.md

Preston Garvey

There's a main NPC that generates a bunch of radiant quests that not only serve to annoy and clutter up your quest log, but also makes settlements annoying to micro-manage. For most playthroughs, you want to fix this.

Lightweight fix with high compatibility: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/24940/?

Now, the faction he is part of, is actually a bit messy as a whole and there's a very highly rated mod to fix some of that: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/6443/?

For a first playthrough, you probably want the basic version, the enhanced version is a bit more involved. If you like the idea of both, the mod author for the lightweight fix claims it should be compatible with the other one.

Legendary drops

Almost every major encounter has legendary enemies, these are a bit grindy, but do add a lot of challenge and good fights to the game. The problem is that all of them drop legendary items and they get a bit silly quickly, to the point of being annoying. It's less Fallout and more Diablo meets Borderland in a Bethesda, aka glitchy, way.

The hardcore fix, just don't do that game: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/3157/?
An overhaul to try and make the system more polished instead: https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/22420/?

Armor Slots

The game is very particular about which armors are compatible with which other armors. Probably to fix clipping issues as they came up, but it's very annoying to say the least. You probably want the lightweight fix (get the version with more slots):

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/1860/?

You also want a mod that adds more weaves, as the vanilla weaves are kinda strange and gated behind a quest you probably don't want to do:

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/19801/?

Quality of Life

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/9000/? (Fixes the most common snapping issue)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/20442/? (Fixes a lot of AI pathing issues)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/20664/? (Fixes elevators)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/4106/? (Fixes easy to miss super important messages)
https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/23646/? (Fixes shooting in 3rd person)

2. Survival.md

Sleep or Save

This is the essential one. No more narcoleptic quicknapping to save, while still retaining the tether system beds offer. Adrenaline penalty should definitely be left on (it is by default). You probably want to disable the save chem, as it uses just Jet + Mentats, two things that you have in abundance, especially in survival, which gives those chems harsher side-effects. Potentially could edit the recipe to be harsher. Day Tripper is a way more rare drug that could be used in the recipe to make the save chem rare. Mysterious Serum could be used in the recipe to make it harder to get, tied to a cool plotline, limited, but still infinite and it even makes some sense immersion-wise. I'd recommend Mysterious Serum + Purified Water as a good recipe.

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/12262/

Campsite

Add camping gear to the game. Looks brilliant, makes sure you can save anywhere. You want to grab the AWKCR patch too. The survival patch is debatable. On one hand, it lets you sleep full night's rest in a tent, which is probably the intention of the mod in the first place, on the other hand, it makes the mod kinda OP. You could now just drop a save anywhere, without fear of disease (I think). It devalues the aspect of survival where you make bases all around the commonwealth you travel in between.

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/11734/

Portable workbenches

This mod adds crafting stations you can carry. This sounds OP, but because they weigh so much, they are recommended even by hardcore mod enthusiasts, as carrying them around with limited carry capacity is a real decision you'll have to take. You might want to increase weight even further with xEdit, if you notice they are too valuable, but at 4 weight per workbench, it should be fine. Gives a slight devaluation to bases. Campsite also has a cooking station you can use, so if it's just cooking you need, you can drop this mod altogether.

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/18262/

Dismantle Weapons

This mod is interesting. It might not be your cup of tea. Basically, there's a really cool system in FO4, where if you find modded weapons, you pull the mods off and consolidate onto one weapon, but it requires you to craft a replacement part. In many cases, that part is just as expensive as the mod you found in the first place. This mod fixes that in a rather clever way. Especially fun in survival.

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/24318/?

If you add this mod, note it adds a cool workbench that lets you swap mods, but not craft anything, might be another reason to get rid of portable workbenches. If you do get rid of that one, there's one final small mod you might want. This one lets you scrap stuff into its components out in the field.

https://www.nexusmods.com/fallout4/mods/14110/

More Survival Mods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puo2ranVm9s

3. Sim Settlements Overhaul.md

Sim Settlements Style Overhaul

Still have to figure this one out, but for now:

Horizon + Sim Settlements + We are the minutemen

plus anything missing from Horizon (armor slot mods above? Survival mods?)