This is the first time I've played the Sims when I haven't had access to expansion packs that had come out previously. Everything was available by the time I started playing TS2; I started TS3 in a bundle that included Ambitions and got WA and LN soon afterwards. Even with Spooky Stuff coming out today, the wait for Get Together seems very long. I can't go back to TS3 because I've gotten used to playing a game that doesn't crash. I can't go back to TS2 because I prefer the looks of my TS4 sims even if they can't have toddlers. And I suspect that I'm not the only person who feels this way.
So here are my recommendations to keep the game interesting:
Play rotationally.
Play something like the Asylum Challenge where you can control only one sim in a large household.
Give your sims one or more negative traits. I discovered during the most recent challenge that sims dance differently when they're tense or embarrassed. If you always play happy, high achiever sims, try going over to the dark side.
Use some of the different options in conversations. I tend to spam "brighten day," "heartfelt compliment," when trying to make friends, but there are dozens of other options, some based on traits and some on skills.
Oh yes, and try one of the Tournament challenges. There's still plenty of time to complete "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen."
I like your suggestions but I find myself not wanting to play any Sims games and could use a remedy for that. I think the cause is my disappointment in the direction the game has taken this time.
When I've played rotationally I've found that sometimes my other households have been culled. Yes the culling problem is that bad in my game.
The asylum challenge is the first thing I tried after my original installation a year ago. I wanted to test the emotions of these new Sims. I found little difference between the traits and my insane Sims acted like any other Sim.
Most often my Sims have negative traits. I'm just one of those deviant players who doesn't find any excitement in the more positive traits.
Playing a legacy or playing a game with set objectives, like a tournament, just make me want to turn off the game. I know there are people who love both, and no disrespect to them, but it's just not me.
I was so, so so terribly excited before the release so maybe I was expecting too much.