What To Do With 'Extra' Files

[Prana]

First, I love the site and don't want to come off as a complete idiot so please forgive my ignorance if this is posted in the wrong forum, has been answered or is common knowledge. I don't know a thing about The Sims 2 games and have a lot of questions but I'm willing to learn so bare with me. I did search all the forums, help section and FAQ as well as Google for the answer to this question and was unable to find it so please don't tear into me if the answer is readily available. This site is very extensive and sometimes difficult to navigate and I'm only human.

Here's my issue. I understand how to open and install these file types:
Zips
Rars
Sims2packs
Packages

And I understand what these files are (I'm an artist/writer/webmaster):
.bmp
.jpg
.gif
.png
.rtf
.mht
.htm
.html
.shtml

I realize I can delete the html and text files. My question is what to do with the rest of them. Do I need to keep the picture files (gif, jpg, png, bmp etc) and if so what folders do they go in. What are these files (found in my Downloads folder), do I need to keep them and if so which folder do they go in:
.aoo
.alz
.bak
.flr
.obj
.sims
.iff

99.9% of my files are .package and I know where they go and what they do. But the rest of these files have me stumped. Are they just junk the designers put in with the useful files and if so why? Even odder, some of the files have NO file extension. I'm assuming this was a mistake. It's also possible that I have a few Sims 1 files mixed in with my Sims 2 files. I have roughly 20,000 files at this point so weeding out the junk is a big deal for me. Your help and patience are greatly appreciated. Good luck and blessings, Prana :lovestruc

[HystericalParoxysm]

I'm not sure why files would have no extension unless the creator did what I do sometimes and forget to retype ".package" when renaming files and then forgot to fix it... But all you need to keep in your Downloads folder are .package files.

.bak is a backup file created when you save a file in SimPE - creator shouldn't have included it, but the actual .package file. An .obj file is a 3d model. I'm pretty sure at least some of the rest of those are Sims 1 filetypes. I've ended up with a few of those by mistake - lots of Sims 1 creators also create for Sims 2.

Creators sometimes include pictures with their rar/zip so you know what the item is if you download and then open the file later. I don't do it, but some people do. Either way, you can delete anything that isn't a .package that's in your Downloads folder.

[Prana]

Thank you, you're my new hero. Good luck and blessings, Prana

[simsample]

I'm pretty sure that some of those are files for the original sims game- make sure you're only downloading content for The Sims2. The .iff files are definitely Sims original.