Here's something that surprises a lot of people: one bag can cover a two-week trip or a two-month trip. The catch is you need a laundry plan. If you're gone longer than five days, the plan you pick decides how much you pack, more than the trip length does. You've got three ways to go.
Option 1: find a machine
This is the easiest one, and machines are around more than you'd expect.
- Rentals. Most apartment rentals have a washer, and plenty have a dryer too. Filter for it when you book and you're set.
- Hotels. Hotel laundry is often charged by the bag, not by the piece, so it can be cheaper than you'd think. Just ask at check-in.
- Laundromats and wash-and-fold. In most cities you can drop off a bag in the morning and pick it up folded that evening. Search your map for "laundromat" or "laundry service" near where you're staying.
Pack the week kit, bring a laundry bag so worn clothes stay away from clean ones, and plan on one wash about every seven days.
Option 2: wash it in the sink
No machine? No problem, as long as your clothes are merino or synthetic. It takes about ten minutes before bed, and it goes like this:
- Plug the sink with a flat sink stopper. Trust us, hotel sinks almost never hold water on their own.
- Fill it with warm water and add a detergent sheet or a small squeeze of travel wash.
- Soak your tops, underwear and socks for about ten minutes, then knead them for a minute. Give the underarms and collars a little extra attention.
- Rinse in clean water until the suds are gone.
- Wring with a towel. This is the trick. Lay the clothes flat on a towel, roll it up tight, and stand or kneel on the roll. You'll get way more water out than by twisting.
- Hang everything in the airiest spot in the room. Merino and synthetics are dry by morning. Cotton and denim usually aren't.
What to bring: detergent sheets (flat, light, and no liquid limit at security), a flat sink stopper, and a quick-dry towel in case the towels where you're staying are on the small side. That's really all it takes.
Option 3: skip laundry entirely
Sometimes there's just no time, or no sink. That's fine. Pack one set of clothes per day, up to seven days. Past a week, though, don't keep adding clothes: seven days is about the most one bag can hold. Plan a laundromat stop around day seven instead, or send a bag out to be washed.
Heads up that no laundry changes your bag size, too. A week kit with a wash fits in a 20–30L bag. Seven days of clothes needs a 30–45L carry-on.
A few habits that make it easy
- Wash a little, often. Two things every other night is way easier than a full load at the end.
- Keep worn clothes in their own bag so the rest of your kit stays fresh.
- Wash on a night you're staying put, so nothing's still damp on a travel day.
This post is part of our guide to packing light for any trip, the thinking behind our Trip Planner. Tell the planner your laundry plan and it'll size your clothes and your bag to match. Build your list →
