Your mileage may vary!

:-)

After reading this thread, I took another look at my Downloads folder (a surprising 4.4 gigs, considering I end up using mostly Maxis stuff...), and I found almost 200MB of SIMS2PACK files from older lots I had downloaded. I no longer extract them that way, and I'm just verifying it won't hurt anything to remove them, right?

IIf I missed this suggestion already, sorry. however, I thought I'd mention that you can rename the package files (Just not the .package part) to anything you like. When I run across a file with a name that does not make sense, I open it in SimPE to see what it is, then I rename it.

It won't hurt to remove them. The game only reads the package files.


Yup, me too. Hey Reba - haven't seen you round in a while.

Once you extract any package, it's all right to toss it out-presuming you have saved the original DL so that if you need it again, you have it.

If you don't save the original downloads, you should save the SIMS2PACK just to be sure you can use it again if you ever need it, by burning it to a DVD/CD. Then you can just delete it-no harm done.

But the short answer is yes-you can delete them if you want to.

Thanks, maxon & FranH. I really just wanted to relocate them and perhaps save some time loading my game.

I stick all my stored stuff on my removeable hard drive.

Been busy working on a new Upload for MTS2 ...

oooo - what what?

Nothing fancy, just some floors and walls.

Thanks I like how this can be done in The Sims 2. I guess there is no reason for it in The Sims 3 but it wouls be nice looking at all my messy DLs
I like some of these ideas so i will just borrow (steal) some of these great ideas

Sorry for the necro-post, but I just want to say as a longtime Sims 2 player and download-a-holic, this thread is incredibly helpful - particularly Liv's organization system. I have a 4-year-old laptop and previously only had up to OFB. I decided to get the rest of the EPs since I'm not getting rid of this computer anytime soon and it can't run Sims 3 or 4. I'm doing a reinstall for a list of reasons and I want to be super-organized with my new downloads folder. My old one had subfolders up the wazoo and lots of long filenames. I also read that using any characters other than A-Z, 0-9, - and _ in your filenames slows down loading time. My original installation never took more than 10 minutes to load with 2+ GB of CC, but with all the EPs (and thus more CC I'll be downloading) I want to minimize loading time as much as I can.

Since this thread is almost 3 years old, I don't know if any of you are still here, but THANK YOU for the tips!

What I do, is simply divide them by: Hair, Makeup, Clothes, Furniture, Hacks, Poseboxes. Simple as ABC. I don't like dividing them by creator names or website names, it kinda confuses me more.

I go by catagory .


So I make a fresh folder in downloads (NOT Sims 2 downloads just plain downloads I have windows 8.1) and name it "Sims 2" so I know what game I'm working with. Then inside I make the folders "Houses" "Programs" "Indoor/outdoor"

houses I leave as is but "Programs" I open up an put in a sub folder "Mods" and "Doccuments"


in "Indoor/outdoor" I put "Indoor" for things that belong INSIDE a sim house (room sets furniture ect) "Outdoor" (for things that belong OUTSIDE like playgrounds gardens ect) and "both" (for sets that could go either way)

in "Indoor" I put "Furniture" and then inside there I list ALL the rooms that I want in my houses and in each of those folders I put a folder called "Sets" and one called "Deco" except in bedrooms where I also add "Bedding" and nurseries / child rooms where I add "toys"

I also make a folder for "rugs" and "walls and floors" (for walpaper and carpets ect)

in my main "Sims 2" folder where this is all happening I also put a folder called "Sims" and make seperate folders inside "Sims" for Custom Sims Hair Eyes GLasses Makeup Clothing ect in cClothing I break it down "Male" "Female" and both in each one I put a folder for each life cycle (Baby Toddler Child teen young adult Adult Elder)


When I am done filling these with downloads I extract everything in each folder into one place (Meshes and recolors) pick out any collection files and then when done use collection maker to put all the meshes together to make one big collection for whatever heading I'm working with (Say Bathrooms) break the meshes down into managable folders (say 200 to 600 files in each new rar) then if I numbered the rars (I always do) I break THOSE down in sets of 5 so 1-5 6-10 ect. when THAT is done I take the folder all that work was done in and move it to my Sims 2 Downloads folder in My Documents put the collection files in Collections and move on to the next subject.

what I see when I open Downloads (Not to be confuse with downloads the single directory) is a nice little rows of clearly named folders "Bathrooms" "Bedrooms " "Child's room" "Nurseries" ect.

I have folders and I mostly name them after the creators (although there are some in other folders too) - mod folders start with z, or zz - I have in the meantime increased my downloads to around 9GB (still very little compared to most, but I don't keep stuff in my game if I don't use it; especially clothing) - not looking that impressive, but I can find any file within seconds.

Same here :-) And I just spent several hours (well, not all at one go!) Sorting out the Sims Stuff folder residing on my removable hard drive. I categorize and file all downloads there as well as SC4 map files, Lots and custom made and downloaded neighborhoods along with a file for Sims 2 Tools ( things such as the CEP exec and such) and have a folder for Notes ( helpful information such as cheats, tips and how to do things). I also have all of TS2 updates saved there. There is also a folder to save (backup) neighborhoods that are being played. A real game saver when my computer has needed mending and when I've needed to move everything to a new pc.

In the TS2 Downloads folder I simply place things in folders labeled according to content such as Clothing, Walls, Floors etc. which seems to be a common practice. :-)

When I first started using CC my downloads folder was an absolute mess. Everything was just in one folder. Then, I got a new laptop and decided to start fresh with all of my CC.

My organization is quite extensive now. I have everything separated into folders: build, buy, clothing, sims, houses, mods etc. and then there's various sub folders within each folder. It's a pain to organize, honestly. However, it's also really easy to find the specific CC I'm looking for when something becomes corrupted or I decide I don't want it anymore etc.

If only my life were just as organized :P

My downloads folder is 120 MB, but mostly because I practice "do I really need it?" That helps out on clutter quite a bit since it isn't there to begin with.
I also have to admit that I've downloaded stuff that I never actually added it to my game.

Probably about half the stuff I download doesn't make it into the game. And probably 25% of what does get put in comes right back out again. But I still have waaaaaay more than 120 MB.

The best way to organize is to organize things in a way that make sense to YOU, even if it doesn't make sense to anybody else. When I had filing cabinets for bills and things IRL, everything was always all over the floor. Same with folders on a shelf, accordion file folders, file drawers in the desk, banker's boxes, and all the other traditional paper organizing methods. Now that I've bought four three-level in-out trays from IKEA, nothing ever stays on the floor for more than a few minutes, and even then, it's only if I drop the mail to answer the phone or something. The right method is the one that lets you find what you want when you want it.

Here is Jo's sure fire method for the most organized beautiful download folder ever....


















Don't download anything.