Packing tip
 

Before a long trip, buy new underwear. Then pack the old underwear. Also pack, or buy at destination a bottle of concentrated laundry soap or cold water wash. Wash out and hang undies each night, hang near a/c if necessary so it's dry in the morning. Or use a coin op machine for a load of wash on a long trip if possible.
But the key to the tip is that if you have six pair of underwear, then on the fifth to the last day, you wear one, and then throw it away. Same thing next day, and so on, till the last day of the trip, you should have one clean pair left to wear on your way home. HOME. Where you have all that new underwear. :D

Even Rick Steves was not the first to come up with this "brilliant" idea.

Don't you have enough "old" underwear to last the trip? Why bother washing underwear you plan to toss?

I, personally, cannot imagine leaving dirty underwear in the trash basket for the maid to have to dump.

And, here's hoping your flights home are not delayed.

djkbooks needs to know: Don't you have enough "old" underwear to last the trip? Why bother washing underwear you plan to toss?


First time I did this tip, it was a 100 day trip. So, the answer is NO.
:)
Your choice, for a month long trip carry 30 pair of drawers or 5 pair and some cold water wash. :)
But the point was to not bring the old stuff home.
I'm sorry if my tip wasn't 'brilliant' enough for you, and that you can't imagine it, but it has been used by many friends and fellow travelers since I first started using this tip about eleven years ago. I thought it could be of some value to readers here. And it probably will be, to some of them.
You have a real nice day now, djkboo

I usually bring about a week's worth of underwear on trips and hand wash them as I go along. I don't bring the old underwear and toss them out as I go along though. It is basically a cost/benefit thing for me. The underwear doesn't take up much space, so I wouldn't gain enough by tossing it out along the way to justify spending my vacation wearing old underwear.

If it works for others, then I think it is a fine idea, and I certainly wouldn't worry about leaving dirty underwear in the trash for the maid to throw away - you know, considering what else goes into the trash on a regular basis. Dirty underwear is pretty tame - LOL.

I'm not insulting your tip but I do the opposite, because I wouldn't want to be wearing old underwear that is ready to be thrown out on my vacation! I take the nicest newest ones (5 pairs is plenty) and wash them out in the sink with shampoo. They certainly don't take up enough room in my suitcase that tossing them would bring any particular space benefit.

We've been doing the same thing for 30 years--we even call the underwear we're ready to pitch "vacation underwear". But it's not raggedy or full of holes--I'm the only one who can tell it's on it's last wearing. I don't want to waste time doing laundry on vacation.

All's well and good, until your flight home gets canceled at the last minute and your vacation is one day longer than anticipated ;)

I've never had enough "vacation underwear" for an entire vacation, so I wouldn't be stranded going commando. And I always pack one extra pair and an extra day's medications for just such an emergency.

we even call the underwear we're ready to pitch "vacation underwear". But it's not raggedy or full of holes--I'm the only one who can tell it's on it's last wearing. abram

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Exactly, abram! Glad someone understands, I really didn't think it would be so controversial, was just a tip that has helped me and others I know. :)

Sounds like either you wear out your underwear real fast, or you don't travel very often!

MsE, I also think this is a most excellent idea. I carry it even further, and take along clothing I'm done with for any reason --

In an earlier post, I said:
<i>Does anyone else like to come back from Europe with less than they took? I check one inexpensive duffel bag on the way over, discard things as I use them, and leave the bag itself. All I bring back is my carry-on.
Tremendous feeling of lightness, not to mention the thrill of coming home to brand new underthings! Just curious, as so many posters seem concerned with &quot;bags within bags...&quot;</i>

Needless to say, the concept was attacked by those who can't conceive of packing any differently than they do!

(And, yes, the keeper items in my carry-on cover me in any emergency.)

Controversial? Just because a couple people give a few reasons why they don't use your tip does not make it controversial ;)

I agree, there's certainly nothing &quot;controversial&quot; about not wanting to wear old underwear and leave it scattered in hotel waste baskets across Europe!

I know this is a time honored travel &quot;tip&quot; but I still think it is bizarre.

As Abram so succinctly put it:
<b>I don't want to waste time doing laundry on vacation.</b>

But Suze, I absolutely defend your right to think differently and do not think your decision is bizarre!

No matter how long my trip will be, I only pack no more than 3 pairs of panties. I do take, however, many many panty liners. I use the same pair of panties for two days (with fresh liners of course), switch on the third day and use for two days, then back to the original pair. After doing this for 2 or 3 rotations, I wash them out in the sink.

Glad to hear it's OK for me to wear clean new underwear on my trip. and sorry but that pantiliner trick is just gross.

I don't know how big everyone's underwear is, or how long their trip is, but it's easy enough to pack a clean pair per day for the duration of a trip, if you feel strongly about not washing a few things out now &amp; then. Taking old underwear doesn't save any room packing for the way over, and only the smallest amount of space freed up for the return trip.

And some would consider it <i>gross</i> to carry home a week's worth of worn underwear.....

But the beauty of a forum like this is that ideas can be presented freely and advice sifted and gathered. I'm grateful to all who post and are so generous with their expertise and experience!

&quot;I don't know how big everyone's underwear is, or how long their trip is, but it's easy enough to pack a clean pair per day for the duration of a trip&quot;.

Well, no, suze, it really does depend on the length of the trip, lol! My most recent trip was five weeks, and my longest ten months: if I packed enough underwear for every day there'd be no room for anything else. I have no problem doing a little laundry every couple of days.

True true Thursdaysd, obviously neither of the plans (throwing out or bringing enough) works for a trip of more than a couple weeks.

nyse~ I'm wondering now, if it is &quot;gross&quot; to bring home worn underthings, is it also gross to bring home your clothing that is dirty from the trip?
;-)

I have a ziplock bag for dirty socks and underwear in order to keep them seperated from my clean things. And the zip lock bag allows them to be squished down small so they don't take up much space. Works really well for me.

I don't think I'd do the pantyliner thing - my panties aren't that big, so I don't think I'd save much space (if any) by packing fewer panties and bringing liners instead. Plus, I do not like to wear liners unless I have to. I can't imagine wearing them everyday by choice for a couple weeks.

Regarding the throwing out of other clothing while on a trip - anybody who does that must not use their clothing as long as I do. I hardly ever throw anything away that is still useful. If it is presentable, but I no longer want it - it gets donated. Other things become work clothing or rags. It is really rare that I just toss clothing.

I couldn't donate my worn undies, but I have saved them for travelling and ditched them as I went.

I work really hard to maintain a nice wardrobe of clothes for traveling. Ones that pack well, wear well, mix and match, are suitable for the weather and occasion, make me feel pulled together. I work harder on these pieces than my everyday clothes. For that reason, I wouldn't have anything in the outer wear category to leave behind (unless a pair of shoes got ruined by the rain or something along those lines).

I don't donate my undies either - that was in response to the suggestion of wearing old clothing and tossing them as you go along. Seems like such a waste to toss clothing that is obviously still useful if it is in good enough condition to take on a trip.

I've mentioned this before, but I'll do it again here (even though there will be folks who tell me I'm not normal :-d).

I pack as many undies as I'll need for the trip. I don't want to handwash my undies in the bathroom sink every other day. I don't even like to think about my dirty undies in the bathroom sink - they get washed in the machine. For a three-week trip, my undies take up less room than one top.

If I were going on a 10-month trip, of course I wouldn't take 10 months of undies, but I would expect to be doing laundry on a regular basis anyway, so I could simply toss my undies in the washing machine with the rest of my stuff each time.

I also don't travel in my old clothing. My old clothing is relegated to doing chores, not going out in public whether I'm in a strange town or not. Most of the clothes I take on vacation have been worn enough to know they're comfortable and look good, but not worn so much that they look tired and ready for the garbage.

As for the panty liner trick, I wouldn't do that on a regular basis. However, if you use panty liners, it does allow you to use the undies you had on during the flight for the next morning to go buy new undies when your luggage gets lost.

LOL, I think this is a hilarious thread, and I love seeing all the different opinions in the world!

My situation is different -- I'm a big person who lives in Japan, so when I go to America, I BUY underwear, wash it right away, and wear it through the trip. Then when I get home, I go through the drawer and throw out all the raggedy stuff. (-: But actually, taking it with me and throwing it away when I don't need it anymore does have a bit of merit.

Except . . . I'd be miserable travelling in a nasty bra -- I need the support a fairly new one gives me.

(-: This kind of flies in the face of conventional wisdom, though -- you know, &quot;My mother told me to always wear clean underwear in case I was in an accident and had to be taken to the hospital.&quot; I can't remember the name of the wag who said if he had to be taken to the hospital, his underwear probably wasn't clean anymore . . .

Let me clarify one thing -- I don't take &quot;old&quot; clothes to discard as I go, I take &quot;clothes I'm done with.&quot;

For example, in my travel drawer right now are black CK jeans I found at a thrift shop. They look new and fit well, but I think I see why they were contributed in the first place -- a faulty zipper. So, no, I don't want them, and no, I won't donate them back for another unsuspecting buyer. I will wear them one last time, so thrilled to be in Europe that I won't mind a contentious zipper!

Also in that drawer is a nearly new long-sleeved blouse, with an even newer ink stain. I don't want it, and neither would anyone else, but I travel in the off-season and it will go nicely under a pull-over sweater.

So I'm done with these clothing mistakes but will use them one last time. I like to plan ahead, as most of us do, and find it fun to glean items from my wardrobe for a week in Europe each year.

I must say I love this Forum -- a thousand minds are better than one!

I pack the type of microfiber underwear that packs up small and dries quick in case I need to launder it.

<i>I pack the type of microfiber underwear that packs up small and dries quick in case I need to launder it.</i>

Ditto. But I usually underpack underwear and forget to wash and am usually buying a few pairs at my destination.

But, FWIW, I have definitely been known to throw old clothes away while traveling. The biggest bang for my buck, I find, is tossing my undershirts, as they take up a lot of space.

dont like taking old underwear on an o/s trip
if im in accident i want to be found representing my country in the most dignified way


undies dont take up much space...and theyre easy to wash and dry so i dont see it as a space solution
it's the bulky thingsthat bother me like shoes and jackets and if you come from a country that has a mild climate you always end upo taking more warm bulky things esp if youre travelling in early summer to europe

old underwear...i dont like tossing it out until the elastic is gone or got holes so i couldnt wear it on a trip anyway..nothing more annoying
besides every trip is a chance to reconnect romantically, is it not? so let's not ruin the mood, ladies lol

I have to thank you all heaps for these great suggestions. I have just dug through my dresser and taken out older undies, 28 in all and I will pack them and throw them. I then decided to check out bras, I will do the same with them - so much less washing!! I am away for 6 weeks and will take a small selection of 'good' for when required.

I have begun to cull the clothes I was intending to take but still have a little too much but its 4 weeks till I leave for Europe and will continue to repack and weight to make life easier on this trip.

Thanks all, keep up the travel tips.

I'm surprised about those who have enough &quot;old&quot; undies to take and discard. Apart from a couple of shirts and jeans I keep for heavy duty yard work I don't keep old stuff. I can't imagine wearing old bras at all because elastic parts are usually the first to fail so the bra will not fit well.

As someone just mentioned above, if the idea is to lighten your load along the way, tossing just one single shirt is probably the same as a dozen undies-worth.

Yes I know it does seem funny, and I was a trifle bemused myself when I counted them all up, but they are still quite respectable, a little yellowed and my taste has moved on. They were all good brands when bought, so have stood the test of quality and time. Good time to part with them though!

If I take multiple pairs of undies, I usually wash along the way, but I save one fresh pair just for the last day and/or the plane ride home..handwashing undies never is the same as in the washer/dryer. I also pack one pair in my carry-on...sh**t happens and in case my luggage doesn't make it through, I have clean undies!!

I pack more than that :-) at least a clean top, undies, socks, etc. in my carry-on just in case the checked suitcase is delayed, I'm not stuck in the clothes I wore on the plane for days!

While the tips are perhaps useful, this is just a little more personal info than I really needed to ever know. My underwear is clean and thats all you need to know.

Happy travels.

Hello i here alot about buying new underwear and etc.. but how about traveling with your pets. http://www.pamperedk9club.com

I have really enjoyed reading this post!

My DH has a real thing about underwear when traveling. We went through some very lean times, when buying new underwear was quite a luxury. So now, when we go on vacation, it is one of his greatest enjoyments to be able to pack a goodly supply of clean, non-raggedy underwear.

Packing for a vacation is one time that you pay close scrutiny to how you will be dressing, and being sure that you are taking only what you really want/need to wear.

All of the methods listed here have meaning and merit for those posting it. As long as you can fit into a reasonable luggage allowance, there's a lot of room for personal preference.

P.S. Personally, I like to do laundry about 1 week into vacation, by dropping it off at a laundromat where they wash/dry/fold for you, when possible. For only a couple of extra bucks, I love the vacation-luxury feeling.

My first trip to Europe I came home with all the clothes I took and some I never wore plus souvenirs in bags etc. Every trip since then, I take clothes that are perfectly good but I don't particularly like wearing anymore. Those I wore for a few days and tossed out. I took a lot of older but good underwear and the same thing - out they went. Every trip since the first one I have come home with the same size luggage I left with and no shopping bags or other things - its great.

TRIED the vacation method one year for a 14 day plus trip and ran out having to ue my husbands.lol...and I do bring concenrated soap and line now..