I have two questions.

1. If I placed a custom packaged lot into my downloads folder and activated it there (it shows up in my game and works), but I want to move the file to the packaged lot folder, will it cause any issues in my game? Do I have to delete the custom lots within the game first before moving the file?

2. I packaged some Maxis lots (like Von Dough Gallery) for my custom neighborhood and placed them in my downloads folder, not realizing that those particular lots were already in the packaged lot folder. If I delete the duplicates from my neighborhood, the lots bin, and my downloads folder, can I restore the lots back to the game by reactivating the original Maxis files?

I hope my questions aren't too all over the place. Thank you for any help!

Deleting the duplicates should be fine, as long as you leave one copy of the lot you want. As long as you have a copy in the lots bin, you can always place it in any hood you like.

Your first question...not certain I understand correctly...do you mean you put a Sims2Pack for the lot into your Downloads folder, and opened it there?
In which case, the lot is already in your game and there is no need to keep the Sims2Pack in the game folders at all.

I suppose there's no harm keeping those Sims2Packs in your packaged lots folder, although it will possibly slow your game over time, as there are extra files for the game to read. I have a separate set of folders in MyDocuments for keeping anything I download or create. One for lots, one for build stuff, one for CAS items...you get the idea.

Lots don't go in the download folder and won't show up in game there. Lots must be installed into the teleport folder and the game moves them from there to the LotCataloge folder where it will show up as a number and the lot appears in the lots and housing bin.

You can delete any lots that you want to. (so long as there are no graves) Just use the trash bin.

You can always get Maxis lots from the install files. https://www.modthesims.info/showthread.php?p=1401134
if they are residential lots you may want to clean them before using.
https://modthesims.info/showthread.php?t=609188

So there's no need to remove the lots out of my neighborhood first before I delete the duplicates from the downloads folder? Yes, I meant the Sims2Pack. Thank you so much for your help!

Oh I never used the teleport folder because I didn't know the purpose of it. Some of my other lots have been stored in the PackagedLots folder. The strange thing though is that the customs lots showed up in the game from the downloads folder because that's the only folder that they've been placed in. Thank you for you help! I appreciate it.

You can have multiple copies of the same lot in your neighbourhood if you like - the game will add a number to the duplicates if they have the same lot title. Yes, you can leave the lots in your hood and remove the Sims2packs form your Downloads folder, where they aren't doing anything anyway.

You're welcome.

Also, assuming you double-clicked on the Sims2pack to install a lot, your Teleport folder was automatically used - you don't have to do anything with it. The install process puts two files into the Teleport folder. When you next load the game, those files disappear, and the lot is waiting in your lot bin. Any CC from the Sims2Pack will appear in your Downloads folder.

Hope that helps!

Thank you for your help! Have a great day!

Make sure you are using clean Installer.

I've never heard of lots showing up from the download folder, are you sure you didn't use the old installer or Clean Installer and didn't check where it was going? We have even had people over time ask why lots didn't show up for them and it was because they tried using the download folder.

Honestly, I'm not sure since I did this a long time again. I have clean installer, but I just use it to figure out what kind of files my cc are since some of them are labeled with a string number and letters.