Luggage Question
 

Going to Italy for 2 weeks (Venice, Cinque Terre, Florence and Rome - i know, busy, but we're active DINKS). Trying to figure a way to compromise between taking a huge suitcase (which we can't do anyways due to airline restrictions) and using the same underwear for 3 days straight...are laundromats easily accessible? cost? worth it to just take a week's worth or clothes and do laundry once?

underwear dries fast - if you wash it by hand before going to sleep it will be dry in the morning.

For major washing - if that is even needed - laundromats are cheap and they will wash/dry and fold it for you so you don't even have to hang around waiting.

<<< (which we can't do anyways due to airline restrictions) >>>

Typical transatlantic weight limits on checked bags are 2 bags of up to 23kg each

Even if the limitation is 1 bag of 23kg each that's more than enough for 2 weeks clothing in most parts of the world - even without washing.

The one thing I like to take is fresh underwear! I do otherwise bring mostly clothes that I can wash in the sink. I did one load of actual laundry in 10 days overseas a couple of weeks ago. I brought plenty of underwear and socks, and very lightweight clothing (my main bag was 14.5 pounds, and I really could have scaled that back).

Yes, take 1 week's worth of clothes an do laundry once. You can supplement by rinsing out the undies with shampoo in the hotel sink.

Just to add that from my experience underwear takes up very little weight or space

What takes up space & weight are shoes, books, electronics, pills & potions

Or... Take 14 pair of clean underwear and put them in a 1 gal. ziplock baggie. Sit on the packet to get all the air out & zip. It lays nice and neat in the bottom of your suitcase.

Exactly - if y ou have to skimp on something don;t make it underwear. (Who wants to wear half-washed underwear - OR wash it by hand?)

Unless you change clothes several times per day - if you pack properly you can easily get enough for a 2-week trip into a medium sized case. And if you do have to have fewer of something - make it polo shirts or similar - that will be easier to wash properly in a sink.

I do what Suze recommends. I bring enough undies for the entire trip, put them in a plastic baggie and scrunch all the air out. Undies don't really wrinkle and they don't take a lot of room to begin with and I don't like handwashing my undies in the same sink that I brush my teeth in - just something about it that makes me cringe.

For two weeks, I would limit myself to 3 bottoms (2 casuals and 1 dressier - skirts or pants or both). Then add 4-5 lightweight tops. One sweater or lightweight jacket. Two pairs of shoes. And you're set.

Remember you will be wearing one bottom, one top, one pair of shoes and the jacket for the trip over so that's not a lot to pack.

Just got back from the very same trip (except Rome) and I can tell you that you want to pack as light as you possibly can. Cinque Terre is a nightmare if you have heavy or multiple luggage! Washing out and drying articles of clothing is super easy. Pack light!!!!!