Aeronwen

Another great mod has just just been uploaded at Mod the Sims: Expanded Active Households/Homes .

• This mod allows sims and pets in the active household to live in different homes and community lots around the world, without returning to the main house. The way it works is by default, sims will always live in the household's main house, but with the Sim Home Marker you can place it down on either owned private lots, unowned houses or community lots and assign any sim or pet within the active household to the marker, making the lot that the marker is on their home. If you want the sim to live back in the main house or to another, simply delete the marker or remove the sim assigned to it.

• It's useful if you like to control multiple households at once, or have a specific sim you want to move out but not remove entirely from the household, or even having family members and friends babysit babies and toddlers!

I haven't tried this or even installed it yet, but this sounds perfect for storytellers who don't want inactives to completely wreck their lives while living separately from their main family (I'm looking at you, James).

Assuming there are no issues with this mod I can think of multiple ways I could use this in both of my games. After making backup copies of my saves, I might try combining the Aeronwen/Acacia/Sarasvati homes after all the children come along. The mod could make it easier to set up scenarios such as babysitting and play-dates. This would also make it easier for friends and relatives to go horseback riding together.

The same with my Wickery Glen game; the grandparents could be made a part of the main household but still live in their own houses. And of course when the child characters become teens and young adults the mod would make it easier to keep an eye on them and make sure they don't do anything stupid (Again, I'm looking at you, James).

I'll likely post another entry once I've had a chance to try this mod out.