Stale body odors cling to clothes and reappear when a hot body is reinserted into them the next day or the day after, etc.

This is why I change my clothes daily on a trip (even at home).

This is just my humble opinion of course.

But what about the TRAIN and the 26" SUITCASE?????

;-)

OH, that. Well, he shouldn't take it on the train. Next question.

Having just recently returned from 17 days in Europe, my (trophy) wife and I traveled each with a backpack which we were able to carry on the plane. Had laundry done twice at hotels (not cheap) and washed some stuff out in the evenings if the hotel room had a radiator to dry things on.

We also had packed a folding duffel bag which we used on the way home for all the crap that we picked up along the way. We checked our packs on the way home.

The best advice that I have ever had for packing is to get everything together and then leave half the clothes and bring twice the money.

Having read all the interesting posts on "packing light" most of you use 22" rollies for your 2/3 week trips, we are going for 7 weeks! My hubby can get away with miminal - but I think I will have to stick to my 26".

Maudie, I always pack for one week only (doesn't matter if teh trip is 1, 2, 3 weeks or more). The only time I have had to take a larger bag is when I travel in winter, or go places with different climates on a single trip.

Also it matters (to me) whether I am moving around a lot or staying in one place, whether I am traveling by car or by train, and whether I am going with a companion or solo. All of these influence logistics therefore my packing strategies.

Wow! Thanks for all the responses. I wish I received a quarter of them for my other questions. If we opt for train travel (to multiple locations) we'll purchase 21 or 22" bags. If we go by car, we'll stick to our "packing heavy" regime with a 26" bag.

<i>&quot;but if you want to pack light, then you'll either have to do laundry at some point on your trip or wear soiled clothes the whole time.&quot;</i>

Exactly why I have no interest in minimalist packing. I don't like to wear soiled, smelly clothes and I have no desire whatsoever to spend my evenings rinsing out dirty socks and panties. No thanks.

On a 2 week vacation, if I know I will be staying somewhere with laundry facilities, I'll pack lighter and do a load or two of laundry, but dealing with laundry every day of my vacation? You've got to be kidding.

Madison -

You seem to have missed the point. I don;t wash clothes - nor do I iron them. Life is short - and these are things that are not worth my time. This is why hotels have laundry and cleaning services. The only problem is that you need to take enough different things to wear to work around the fact that in europe it may not be same day service or be available over the weekend.

So it looks like for me the 24&quot; is the absolute minimum - based on several things I really won;t compromise on.

Seems we've separated the wheat from the chaff on this post. I'd go with Suze any day. Those of you who stink up your clothes, well then bring a 26&quot; ton of them or go to the laundry.

Maudie: &quot;we are going for 7 weeks! &quot;

Shouldn't really make any difference, 1 week or 4 months. You don't wear different clothes every day for 7 straight weeks when at home and you wouldn't on a trip.

I usually pack for about five full days. then add one or two other tops, lots of accessories (scarves/shawls etc). Then over a 7 week trip I would wear the EXACT same outfit maybe 3 or 4 times.

Don't even think of it as 7 weeks - That just seems too overwhelming. Think of a coordinated wardrobe based on one or two compatible colors. Then you can mix and match everything.

Even in the winter I still manage in the one small bag - layers, wool sweater instead of light cotton, maybe a set of silk long underwear, and several pairs of warm socks instead of sandals.

Any possibility that the perception about whether re-wearing a shirt is a good idea or not might tie into what time of year one travels?

I would guess that April or October travel (our usual choices) would not have the same effect on the fragrance of clothing that traveling in July (not even on a bet) might have.

Hi, thanks Suze and Janis, I will take up your suggestions and try really hard to cut down. We usually holiday in Asia and its just beach gear, easy and light as this will be our first Europe trip I am soaking up all this great advice. I think I may buy a pashmina to change the look of my wardrobe! We will be using car, train, bus and the Norway Coastal Voyage so point taken. Thanks again.

hopscotch, please enlighten us on how not to &quot;stink up our clothes&quot; when traveling in the summer months - especially after repeated wearings.

I think hand washing can get smaller, lighter clothing clean, if one rinses VERY carefully. Larger items like pants that have double-bound seams are really difficult to wash by hand and get all the soap out.

But, I do like to send out laundry in other countries. It comes back looking even better than new--clean, meticulously ironed, beautifully folded with tissue paper. It's expensive, but worth the price to be able to put on wonderfully clean and European-detergent-smelling clothes.

okay... based on this thread alone, i will seek out the 12-step program. &quot;my name is lindan. i'm an OVER-PACKER!&quot;

however, i have ALWAYS dealt with my own luggage until last summer when i had to take on the italian train stations and the experience of trying to shove my briggs&amp;reilly extra large duffle up the weird two sets of steps. and, as a side note, it was two women elderly women from london who came to my assistance, and said, &quot;don't worry, luv, we've all been here at one point or the other.&quot;

soooooooo... i have sworn that this trip to switzerland and then on to prague will be done correctly.

SHOES are an issue... almost a week and a half i'll be at a seminar in einsiedeln where evidently people walk/hike. any recommendations for shoes that can stand 5-10 mile treks (and i'm not a hiker so i'll be on the wimp trails or sneak out of the group and just buy the postcards for the experience)?

secondly, what about BACKPACKS?? if i can contain myself to the 22&quot; wheelie suitcase... aren't there backpacks that one could conceivably stuff that would be easier to deal with because you don't have to carry them?

i'm going into training this trip... those polite ladies could have had heartattacks because of me and my luggage... but isn't there a creative compromise?

lindan

I've managed a round-the-world, multi-stop 2 1/2 week business/scuba/city leisure, 2 season (muggy Asia, cold rainy spring) trip with a 20&quot; expandable wheelie and a large daypack a couple of times. The tricks I've found include: (1) finding the perfect lightweight, multi-purpose clothes (like a plain black Nike rainshell that works for sports but doesn't look too sporty in the city; super-cushioned Joseph Siebel walking shoes that work for cities and everything except scrambling up the side of the mountain; silk/cotton twinsets that you can split up and combine with other clothes; pashminas); (2) limiting colour combinations (e.g. the black/blue/red trip or the brown/beige/khaki trip) and packing only colours that mix and match with most other items in the suitcase; (3) wearing the same clothes frequently (but getting them cleaned); (4)severely limiting shoes (one on my feet, one other style and sandals for hot climates); (5) photocopying bits of guidebooks so that I can leave them at home and throw out the bits along the way; and (6) severely restricting or downsizing the personal care items I pack (e.g. I don't bother with hair appliances, shampoo or soap because I use the hotel's).

WOW!! You really find out a lot about people when you bring up the subject of packing. I am one of the those people who can bring just a 22&quot; carry on and my small leather backpack for two weeks. And no, I don't run around all stinky after the first couple of days. I am usually always cold for one thing, and I do shower twice daily. I have the type of friends that would definitely let me know if I were getting fragrant. So I don't worry there. And yes I agree that it is more lack of personal hygeine that is the problem there. It is also making the best of the suitcase that you have. Getting everything in there neatly and organized and full, but not over full. It's like a big three D puzzle. I loved Edward2005's comment.
Would that I could pattent one of those bags. One thing that I always do is pack my personals and anything that can get wrinkled in big zip lock bags and take the air out of them. It makes so much more space than if you fold them or put them in anyother way. Bras can be a tad bulky depending on what you wear. I also argee that packing light means that you should be able to handle your own things that you take with you. I Learned that as I was trying to
lug my suitecase up and down stairs in England and Scotland. And I packed what i thought was light. I will be even better this time. You live you learn. Like anything else the more you do it the better you get.

Hi Kayb95,

Two suggestions:

1. Wear a cotton T-shirt under a loose outer shirt or blouse.

2. Don't haul a ton of stuff around with you.