If your base gutter is 12, the next step might be 18 or 24. You can also employ units with padding as you mentioned. To keep a well organized grid, you can set the type in some kind of container that adheres to the base grid with the type inset by a unit or two or three.
Updated for January 12, 2017 (Toddlers) patch. Pose Player. This is a mod that will add the option to play poses and animations in game. It adds an interaction to your sims called Pose By Name and Pose By Pack. Just click on your sim like you would to do anything else.
Plow pose: Lie on the floor and reach your arms and legs above your head. Sphinx pose: Lift your chest and head just a few inches from the floor while lying on your stomach. Bridge pose: Lie on your back, bend your knees and press through your heels to lift your lower body and back off the ground.