The Robotic Hand of God doesn't seem to be cleaning up dishes, ice cream containers, juice jars, old newspapers, etc. like it used to. I checked my config and it is enabled, so not sure what's up...

It shouldn't at all. I just looked in the Traveler package with s3pe, and there is only a single, itty-bitty xml in it that only mentions a "kInstantiator value," which is not mentioned at all in the config. The rest of the files are STBLs translated into many languages.

Are you sure? I don't notice any problems with both installed.

Any suggestions as to why aweconf is not working in my game?

It is in the right place, with newest 1.26 awesomemod (which is working). I have deleted the cache files, tried starting a new game, and it is the only copy of aweconf on my computer. But no matter how many times I redownload it, the changes aren't showing up in the game (e.g. no autosave, no robotic hand of god). Opened it up and the xml looks fine. What is going on?

I do not believe this is an AM issue since I just tested it with nothing but store items. Are you using any store bath tubs? This happens when cats try to play in the store tubs. I'm not sure if it's all store tubs but I know for certain the seven I have cause this to happen. I get them back by teleporting and no longer use store tubs in houses with cats (although you could simply lock the bathroom to pets and only let them in if you need to bathe them). Sims can bathe cats in the tubs but with dogs (large at least) the action gets cancelled out. It sucks but that's the only way to avoid this behaviour.