How much luggage for 19 day trip for 2 people?
 

My husband and I will be spending 19 days in Italy (Rome, Venice, Florence) and Paris in a few days. We will be taking trains between cities, and flying EasyJet from Venice to Paris. I believe we had to prepay for luggage on our flight and paid for 2 checked bags.

What do you recommend as far as luggage? We've never been on a trip this long. Should we plan on doing laundry while away? (is this hard to do?) My husband was thinking 2 large checked suitcases and a backpack/tote without any checked (smaller) suitcases.

We've done carryon only for a 7 night cruise but I did end up wishing I brought a little more clothing with me.

On a related note, any other packing suggestions? TYIA

I usually go with a larger (usually 25") suitcase and a large-ish tote for a longer trip. I find little difference between lugging a 25" and a 21" piece of baggage. Others do it only with a carry-on, but I don't see the point and find it more hassle than it is worth.

You still might need to do laundry - do you have 19 pairs of underwear? It can be easy or a hassle. Easy if you stay in a hotel and are willing to pay them to do it. A hassle if you are staying in a 2-star without laundry service and without a laundromat nearby.

Think one small convertible suitcase or rolling case per person, and one carry-on day bag (with the electronics, any medicines and a change of underwear) per person. I've traveled for 10 months with just that. You don't need any more for 19 days than you do for 9, other than perhaps more toiletries and pharmaceuticals, but you can always go shopping for toothpaste and shampoo.

In Europe you will find launderettes, but I prefer to hand wash - that way I don't have to worry about things getting washed in too-hot water. Decant Woolite into a small plastic bottle (or take/buy sachets of powder or even use shampoo), buy a universal sink plug (www.outdoorgb.com/p/universal_sink_plug), and possibly a twisted clothesline (tinyurl.com/ms4lpt). I usually find the towel rails and clothes hangers adequate.

For my packing list see www.wilhelmswords.com/faq

Summer08, May I suggest that you put some of your clothes and some of your husband's in each suitcase, just in case a piece of luggage is lost. You never know...

latedaytraveler's suggestion is a good one. I always mean to do it, but rarely do.

I suggest that you rethink the "two large suitcases"

You have to haul this stuff everywhere. You have to load it on trains etc...

I have downsized my mother to a 24" and me to a 21" (I can't get her any smaller) and it's really too much luggage! Especially that horrid 24"!

lateday and travel -- we usually do that just for space purposes (my clothes and shoes take up a lot less space so we can fit more if we mix and match) but we will be sure to spread things out just to be safe.

OK..the PRACTICALITIES:

WHO is going to be schlepping this luggage on and off the trains?

Do those two suitcases weigh in at LESS than or equal to the 20 Kilos EasyJet allows for BOTH bags combined or are you ready to fork over extra money for that portion?

How many DIFFERENT outfits do you really need? You will be seeing different people on each new day and none of them will have seen you or your clothes before so the clothing will all seem new to them.

Laundry? Are you prepared to do it in the hotel room/pay to have it done by the hotel, etc.?

NOBODY and I mean NOBODY here packs any HEAVIER than I do/did...and I would observe that first set of packing rules..
A. lay it ALL out and then put half of it back in the closet
B. pack it and then CARRY IT..YOURSELF up and down at least TWO flights of stairs and a bit further.

ok, I get the point -- pack light :)

for practical purposes would it be better for us to have one large suitcase or 2 small?

Think about how you're going to get between train stations and hotels; between airports and hotels.

If you think you'll be taking taxis for all these trips, then by all means bring large suitcases with you (not sure what "large" means for you). As long as your husband is capable of lugging these large suitcases up/down trains, and possibly up/down a flight of stairs, you'll be okay.

However, if you want to take public transport with large suitcases, I can assure you that it will be a pain.

I am a healthy female in my 30s and I do a lot of solo trips. But since I use public transport only (buses, trains, trams, walk etc), I downsized from a 21" to a 19" last year and I haven't looked back since. Since I'm short, the 19" is much easier to manage than the 21".

When I travel with my husband, we usually just take a 21" and a 19". I never expect him or anyone else to carry my luggage for me. I need to be able to handle my suitcase myself.

For 19 days, if you want to go with smaller suitcases, you definitely need to do laundry at least once, if not twice.

For packing tips, do a search for "Therese" - she has started many packing threads here.

Like thursdayd we pack the same whether it's 1 week or 3; doing laundry is inevitable. We take either 21" or 25", both of which have an expandable feature, and a tote or carryon.

Also use the Woolite technique and take a large (2 gal) baggie which we turn into a mini-washer so we won't take up use of the sink. It also serves as a way to keep anything damp that doesn't get dry until our next stop.

If we're going to be somewhere 3 or so days, we wash that first night and find everything dries by the time we leave, and sometimes by the next day depending on the material.

Besides the good idea of packing some of each other's clothes in the other's suitcase, we also make sure we have a change of clothes in the carryons in case both bags get delayed/lost.

<<NOBODY and I mean NOBODY here packs any HEAVIER than I do/did>>

Oh dear. I'm afraid I might, lol.

We prefer taking one suitcase each (we purchased new lightweight suitcases) and one carryon. I can't wheel two suitcases at the same time and then carry them on/off trains and steps.

Laundry is easy to do in all these locations. The options include having your hotel do it (most expensive), taking it to a laundromat where they do it for you (next most expensive but not very expensive and you save a lot of time), laundromat where you do it yourself (takes time but is cheaper than drop off but you can usually put it in, go get a coffee or run another errand, or such) or hand laundry in your hotel sink (works great for underwear, socks, small tops and is essentially free). There are lots of resources about how to pack light. I like http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/packlight.htm. If you went on a 7 day cruise with only carry on you know how to do it. In a 19 day trip would think you can get by with doing full laundry a couple of times and handwashing other times.

take a 22" rollaboard each, you take a larger tote/purse and the other person takes a backapack that has a convertible day pack attached. you'll have to do laundry no matter what. Just expect that you may have to limit your purchases a bit or have them shipped back.

When I went to Europe for 21 days I checked a 21 inch suitcase and carried on a small bag that I also put my small purse in. I did get very tired of my clothes. I laundered clothes, in my room, during the trip using shampoo, a travel clothesline and a plastic pants hanger. I found that inflated balloons work great for drying underwear faster. I also bought fast drying socks and underwear. Since that trip, I have taken a size bigger on long trips and find it easier packing wise. More than two total bags per person will be hard to haul around, especially on the trains. Have a great trip!

I take as little as I can get away with and that means wearing the same shirts & pants over and over - washing them only when necessary which could mean wearing a pair of slacks three times before laundering them in the hotel wash basin.
I can get away with wearing a blouse at least twice and usually hang it up to 'air' while I wear something else.
I don't believe people who say they wear something once and it has to be washed! OK, definitely clean underwear everyday and somethimes I change that twice in a day, but not clothing.
Everything I take is 'wash 'n wear' - no ironing involved at all.

I have always operated under the assumption that I have to deal with my own luggage all by myself (no porters, no hulking partner to schlep for me), and pack accordingly, which means at the most a 21" rollaboard and a tote bag (inside of which at the beginning of my travels is a smaller purse that I will use for daily excursions). I pack the same amount of stuff whether I'm going for a weekend or 3 months.

Take out everything you want to take with you. Then put half of it back. Now pack the bag(s). Leave your house and roam around a few blocks, dragging the luggage. Walk up and down a few flights of steps with it. Pick it up and put it on a high shelf a few times. That's what traveling with that luggage will be like. See how you like it.

I go to Paris for 6 weeks and I take one 24" to check and I also have my laptop case..on wheels..that has all my papers, camera and other small electronics and whatever else room for. This is my carry on. My purse has cell phones, medications etc.

If I take a coat, I wear it. Take it off on plane and fold it up.

My clothing consists of jeans to something for starred restaurants. I always have excess clothing. I do stay in apartments and have washer/dryer.

Take about 1/2 of what you start out with..or less!!

Joan

I also have to carry my own luggage. So I take 2 smalls bags, one rolling computer bag and another hand-carry computer bag.

I returned the last of June from a 20 day trip using those 2 bags. In addition to the clothes I was wearing, I packed:

1 pair jeans
1 black pants
6 tops
2 pairs of short pajamas
underwear
1 pair of Pumas
toiletries
make up
extra cardigan
laptop
vitamins
2 paperback books
junk food for the plane

Yes, I had to do laundry, but this makes getting on and off the train much easier. And all those STEPS at the metro-I have no problem.

Almost forgot, I had to also cram my purse into one of the bags for the flights.

One 19" each. NOTHING else!

It doesn't matter if the trip is for one week or three -- we always pack the same amount -- for one week only.

We each carry a 18-19 inch backpack and my beau carries a 1 small (12") shoulder/camera bag. All is carried on the plane, never checked.

Wash your undies and socks each night and do laundry every 7 days.

Doing laundry isn't such the horrid experience many people make it out to be.

Take your dirty clothes to the laundromat, toss them in the washer, go have breakfast. Return, toss clothes in dryer, go have another cup of coffee or see a sight/monument, etc. Pick up clothes. Easy.

Sure beats schlepping giant suitcases around.

I use one 19 inch bag and one small tote bag and a purse for 3 weeks. I take some clothes that are wearable and look decent and wear them a few days and toss them out. That gives a little room in my bag to bring back small souvenirs.

I always keep a change of clothing, all meds and toiletries in my small tote bag and carry that with me. The 19 inch bag I check in.

Don't weigh yourself down with luggage. The first trip you worry about having enough clothing and on the next trips you worry about being able to take as little as possible.

I'm 73 years old, I often travel solo, and I've always been a weakling. I bring a 22" no matter how long I'm staying, including one trip of three months.

I wear mostly black pants and a black sweater or jacket. Tops are either black or coordinate with black. I wear walking shoes and bring along a pair of dressier sandals. Like dir4848, I wash out my quick-drying underwear and sox, and when I'm staying three days, I may rinse out a pair of pants or a top.

I bring as few toiletries as possible, as they always account for a good deal of weight, even when they're small.

My great weakness is that I carry a bag with a pretty good-sized frame holding my current counted cross stitch project. I'm doing a great copy of a Van Gogh, "Cafe Terrace," right now. I'm going to see if I can put it on a hoop, which would be a good deal smaller.

My sister and I were talking to a young woman in Siena--a trophy wife, we decided. When we told her that we carried only a 22" inch suitcase each, she exclaimed, "I carry one suitcase just for my shoes!" We figured her husband usually took care of the luggage for her.

We (family of four) just spent a month in Europe with one big checked bag, one small bag that can be carry on in size terms but we checked, and one big LLBEAN tote bag (full of beach towels and snorkel gear...). We went to England, France and Italy and I had to work some of those days as well as play so we had a variety of clothes. The two girls and my husband had backpacks as carry on - I just had my purse. We still brought more than we needed.

So I think two large checked cases seems ample and probably too much because of the moving the gear with the weight, especially with your travelling on trains. I'd downsize to at least one smaller one.

And yes as someone said to watch your weight with Easyjet too.

Laundry - we did laundry... I've found in Italy it's delightful to drop the dirty clothes off at the laundrette and have them back all clean and perfectly folded. The first time this happened on a previous trip, my husband was so enamoured with it that he didn't want us to disorder the clean clothes by wearing them! Hotel laundry is super expensive as you probably know but (perhaps because there's four of us) I find handwashing in hotel rooms too much hassle - too much wet stuff everywhere.

One of those never ending questions, carry-on only versus tons of luggage ....and so on.
SyCirq, LOL about lifting one's bags , but that is what I do.I often decide which garment to take according to its weight. I do take taxis some of the time,but it has nothing to do with size of my luggage.
It really gets me when women ask my husband to help lift their bags on or off ..yes, he is 6'3 but his back will hurt for days! If you must have 7 pairs of shoes , take care of your own GD luggage .
Washing undies or tops has never been a problem. If I had to, I would rather take one of those light irons than more
clothing.
I have been traveling since my early 20s( before THE wheels) - the older I get, the lighter my luggage gets.

I'm afraid that I am not a light packer AT ALL, so I'm going to offer a different viewpoint. On Caribbean resort trips, I always take a 30" roller plus small carry on, and my husband takes his own slightly smaller roller and carry on. Yup, I really said 30". It's not usually full, but I can fit whatever I want to take without weeding anything out (including full snorkel gear that yes, we do use), I don't have to lift it anywhere other than luggage carousels, and the luggage is staying put at the hotel for the duration, so it's no hassle whatsoever ... so I figure why not?

For European trips, I take a smaller (but not small) suitcase. We usually go to Europe for a minimum of 2 or 3 plus weeks, and I take a 25" roller plus a small carry on, and my husband takes a 24" roller plus carry on (and that IS packing light for me - I have to weed stuff down and I always wish I had room to take more things!). Even with a 25", I do need to launder things like shirts and socks during my trip - I never go to a laundromat, I just hand wash in the sink. Personally, I don't find schlepping a 25" roller on and off trains or up or down a flight of stairs in a metro or hotel to be a huge issue for me - yes, sometimes it's a little awkward or a minor struggle, but it is only for a few minutes at a time, so in the grand scheme of things I don't mind. However, we are young(ish) and fit so that has a lot to do with it too - perhaps I will have to reconsider when we get older or suffer from diminished physical fitness.

Also, I think if we were changing hotels or taking trains or the metro with our luggage every other day I might feel differently, but we're usually in one spot for at least 4 nights at a time, so a few minutes of aggravation while navigating stairs etc. on an occasional basis is worth it for me to have the "stuff" I want/need in my 25" versus a smaller suitcase. I'm even going to admit - oh the shame and horror!! - that I've taken the 30" roller with me to Europe a couple of times in the past when I've gone on "city" trips (with no metro rides and no car rentals involved) and have been staying put in just one or two cities for an extended period of time, so that the lifting was limited to on / off a luggage carrousel and on / off an airport bus / train to get into the city (in both of those cases, my hotels had small elevators so no lifting the case up a few flights of stairs). In both cases it was because I got aggravated trying to fit something extra into my 25" (like bulky winter boots that I didn't want to wear on the plane) and my husband said, "Oh, why don't you just take your 30"?. Foolish? Perhaps. But it wasn't a problem and I didn't regret it.

I often joke that I would be the happiest if I took only a change of panties and a toothbrush.

remember, since Easyjet is so tough on weight... wear a light-weight coat with lots of pockets. Put all the heavy stuff in it... cell phone chargers, extra batteries, etc. Some people even shove a small foldable bag and once they are done boarding, take it all off and shove it in there. Think about weight also... do you need the large travel books ? If you are reading fiction, get paperbacks and then leave them behind when you are done... someone will be thrilled to find it! (I used to buy and trade at an English language bookstore when I lived in France for a semester).

We also travel with a 21" carry on each for 2-3 weeks. I also have a large purse to hold my make-up, toiletries, etc. and my husband has his "gadget bag"(we can't call it a purse). We started doing this when our luggage was lost for 3 weeks and I discovered that I could live out of a carry on.

We do stay in apts. so that helps with the laundry issue, but I wouldn't change if we stayed in a hotel.

In Paris at night I stick to alot of black----suitable anywhere.

Another tip---they make envelope duffle bags---American Tourister makes one. It's about a 6x8 flat envelope that opens up into a large thin duffle bag. We use it on the way home to check the dirty laundry. This makes room in our carry ons for the things we buy. BTW, the dirty laundy has never been lost.

On a cruise I usually take more as you are seeing the same people every day, but in traveling from city to city who cares? My husband would rather see me in the same clothes than deal with alot of luggage.

Good Luck and enjoy your trip-----trip report to follow I hope.

It really comes down to how strong you are. I have absolutely no problem carrying two 50lb suitcases for the limited amount of distance that one actually needs to carry them - and I'm not especially strong. This includes on and off trains, off the baggage carousel, up stairs, onto buses, etc, etc. I am willing to wager that you will be rolling your suitcase more than 90% of the time, where the difference between a large or small suitcase is negligible.

When you total up the total time lifting a bag, it is miniscule. In a similar thread, I recounted the total lifting involved to travel from my office outside Zurich to Copenhagen. Including lifting onto a train, a tram, a metro, a bus, and on and off a baggage belt, you are looking at less than 2 minutes of lifting time. For this, you are going to wash your undies in the sink every night?

Many here want to make it seem like you will be walking 10 miles up hill, both ways, in the snow, in June with your suitcase and a deer carcass strapped to your back. There may be instances where you might need to travel light, but my guess is that, for a city-heavy trip like this, it may not be one of them.

Think about how much walking you will actually do with your suitcase and then decide what to pack. If you don't find that you will be doing much walking with it (i.e. you tend to take cabs to and from the airport), then why not pack some extra clothes and not have to do laundry as often?

And remember the value of your time. Unless you enjoy washing clothes, then it doesn't take much for a cab ride to pay for itself (esp with 2 people traveling together). And, really, that is often what it comes down to. If you are willing to occasionally splash out EUR 50 for a cab ride, then traveling "heavy" is far, far more convenient than doing laundry en route.

I've heard several people mention that laundry at a hotel is very expensive, but I'm not quite sure what that means? Any rough ideas how much it would cost to have 4 days worth of clothes for an adult cleaned at a hotel in say Paris or London? Knowing the potential costs for laundry would help compare to the airline costs for extra/over-sized luggage, for example.

thanks!

<i>Easyjet is so tough on weight</i>

Easyjet isn't tough on weight. You get 20kg for each piece you pay to check. The prices aren't bad and are actually a fantastic deal if you are checking multiple pieces. Hand luggage is not subject to a weight limit, which is actually generous by European standards.

I once took a 24" rolling bag on a trip to Europe, and while the transit time with the bag wasn't huge, it was annoying enough that I've never taken that bag again. And really, the incremental pleasure (?) of having extra clothing wasn't worth it to me.

For every other trip - including the 17-day trip we're taking this fall, I take a 22-inch exapandable bag. My goal is to not have to expand it until the trip home. In addition, I take a day bag, about the size of a small backpack. DH takes a 24-inch rolling bag (his choice - he will take clean underwear for every day) and a duffle bag. We use the duffle bag for miscellaneous - extra guidebooks, to throw our coats in, camera, etc. It's not full until the trip back home.

I wash clothes periodically throughout the trip (underwear in batches, 2/3 times during the trip, and other stuff as necesary), though I'll admit the clothes are a bit grimey by the end of the trip.

I always have enough room for all the clothes I'll need. I'm not a clothes horse, and I'm small, so my clothes are, but on the other hand, I tend to be cold, so I always take many extra layers. My biggest splurge, and the biggest user of space, is shoes. I take 3 pairs, because I have one everyday, one nicer pair to give my feet a break from the everyday, and one pair of sneakers. I only (even at home) wear sneakers to run in, and running while on vacation is a big thing for me. I'm willing to sacrifice the space.

I use 1 rolling suitcase (22-24") plus an oversized tote as a pocketbook. That's it. I don't pack any more or less accordining to the length of the trip. I take 3 pair shoes and maybe 5 outfits of pieces that mix & match and can be layered. I wash out underthings now and then in the hotel sink using their shampoo. You can find a laundry service mid-trip if you need to. I do get sick of wearing the same thing over & over, but it's worth it to me not to have a heavy or large suitcase to drag around everywhere.

<i>"It really comes down to how strong you are. I have absolutely no problem carrying two 50lb suitcases"</i>

Good for you if you can handle that. My backpack and daypack together weight less than 30 lbs, and I'm certainly not interested in schlepping more than that. But my advice is "no more than you can carry", so if you can carry 100lbs, your choice. Equally, if you're spending the whole trip in one or two places, or renting a car, take whatever you like (or whatever your airline allows).

For my kind of travel, involving a fair amount of moving around by bus and train and local transport (rickshaw, tuk-tuk, etc.), often outside North America and Western Europe, weight and size are very important.

I can't *imagine* hauling 100 pounds (two 50-lb suitcases) around Europe with me... on & off trains, up and down stairs of hotels, etc. Even if you are strong enough to do so, why would you want to?

Ok I just returned from a 17 day trip to Europe and both my husband and I took 24" suitcases, and our carry on tote bags. I brought a messenger type purse also. We did not have any problems getting them on buses, trains, or planes. Ok he may have helped my get my suitcase up on the bus and train, but really it wasn't a problem. We used public transportation to get back and forth from every airport and train terminal so no luxury taxi rides!! I wore everything that I brought with me. And yes, we had to do laundry at least 3 times - it was summer,and hot!! We traveled from Sweden, cold and rainy down to France and Barcelona, hot and steamy. If you are interested this is what I brought to wear:
1-raincoat (only needed in Sweden), 1 pashima, 1 black long sleeve pullover ( think Nike) I used this alot. 1- long sleeve shirt ( I wish that I had brought 2 long sleeve shirts), 5 short sleeve T-shirts, 2 of which were white ( could have used just 4 of these), 1 print tank-top ( I could have used more of these - I wore this shirt alot), 1 daytime type sundress - so glad I brought this it really was comfortable and kept me cool plus it was very stylish!, 1 sleeveless evening type summer dress, 1 bathing suit, 3 pairs long pants (1 pair white jeans, 1 pair jeans, and 1 pair khakis- which I didn't wear that much), 2 pairs shorts ( not short-shorts but more of walking shorts- could have also taken capri's- everyone was wearing them). Also my running clothes. As for shoes- 1 pair brown mephisto sandals- they are so comfortable!, one pair dressier flat sandals for nighttime, one pair Puma walking-sneaker shoes, one pair real running shoes. I know that I shouldn't have taken both pairs of sneakers, but I am a serious runner and had to have my running shoes. We probably ran at least 10 days out of the 17 so at least I got good use out of them, and gained less than 1 pound!! Also, bring more underwear than they say in the books, we had to constantly wash out underwear!! The one thing I would say is to bring clothes that you like and you look/feel good in, then who cares what size suitcase you bring!
P.S. I wish that I had brought my packable summer hat.

<i>Even if you are strong enough to do so, why would you want to?</i>

Because washing clothes for 5-10 minutes per night is a bigger hassle than carrying 100 lbs for 2 minutes on the days that you travel...

The point is that the "hauling" is being way overblown. Where do you folks stay? At Tibetan monasteries? Just how much "hauling" do people do? I mean, the train thing is especially perplexing. Even on the double-decker trains I take every day, you are talking something like 15 steps, and that is if you choose to sit on the upper deck! A normal train has maybe 3 steps. Even 10 flights of stairs would take maybe a minute and a half. The reality is that most won't even encounter that on their travel days.

<i>For my kind of travel, involving a fair amount of moving around by bus and train and local transport (rickshaw, tuk-tuk, etc.), often outside North America and Western Europe, weight and size are very important.</i>

Fair enough, but the OP is going to Rome, Venice, Florence, and Paris, so why not give advice tailored to the actual conditions they will likely encounter? Were they going to Timbuktu, then my advice would be different. Heck, even if they were going to Thailand, I would tell them to pack light, since you can have your laundry washed and folded for pennies per day. Actually, I might suggest packing heavy and just bringing the dirty clothes you have been putting off washing.

YUK!

"carrying 100 lbs for 2 minutes on the days that you travel... " - it's never just 2 minutes. Especially not in Western Europe where I don't take cabs and my hotels often don't have elevators.

"the OP is going to Rome, Venice, Florence, and Paris" - I've been to Rome, Venice and Paris, and I wouldn't have wanted to schlep more than 30lbs in any one of them. I walked from my hotel to the train station in Rome, my Venice hotel didn't have an elevator, and in Paris I had to change metro stations on the way to the hotel. I travel solo on a budget, and I'd rather travel light than come up with the cash for a taxi.

If the OPs were able to do a cruise with just carry-ons they certainly don't need 100lbs apiece for Europe.

"Ok he may have helped my get my suitcase up on the bus and train" - I travel solo and have to do it myself.