Packing List

Most importantly, make sure the shirts and underwear are quick drying cotton/polyester blends. In addition to what I wear on the plane over (plus slacks and a sweater), I only take three shirts and two sets of underwear. For drying, I take a couple of inflatable hangers for the shirts (they keep the sides apart to promote drying), a couple of plastic drip dry clothespins, and a twisted clothesline with suction cups (I've never been able to find places to attach velcro or hooks).

See my web page on packing.

I take two pair of pants, 5 shirts in a mixture of long and short sleeves, 3 underwear, 3 pair of socks, 1 pair of walking shoes, a fleece and a hooded rain jacket. I also take camp suds, a flexo line (clothesline) inflatable hangers and plan on washing when I need to.

Josh--you may want to give second thought to the jeans. They are heavy and take forever to dry if you hand wash.

You could cut back on the number of shirts.

My packing list, which includes almost all clothes that are wrinkle free and over night, is made up of:

4 shirts, 3 pants, 4 undershorts, 4 pair socks, i gym shorts, 1 t-shirt, a light rain jacket windbreaker, sweater or two if the weather calls for it. The list includes the things I wear during the trip over.

I also carry a clothes line and inflatable hangers. My hangers are made by Travelon. Besides hanging a shirt, each one has a bar and hooks for underwear and socks. You might also be able to hang a lightweight pair of pants.

My list is similar to Frank II. Do TAKE a rain jacket and a sweater. We avoid 100% cotton of anything. If your 3 shorts are walking short. Skip 'em. Jeans are hot, heavy, and a maintenance issue. Look to some of the light weight, slight cotton blend, pants. REI has some nice pants in the Adventure Travel series but looking in your clothing stores. Wear one, pack two at the most.

I agree about the jeans. Especially as much as you'll be moving around (and being in hostels, where you may not want to leave your jeans hanging when you're not there), you won't have time for them to dry. My husband has bought some outdoorsy-type pants, olive green and khaki, with lots of pockets that dry quickly. I'd also pack some sort of rain jacket. Everything else sounds good.

Make sure the shirts are easy-dry. If you take a sweater, leave out one of the long-sleeved shirts. Instead of jeans, look into hiking pants (khakis). Many of the brands in travel/sports store are rugged, yet quick-dry; and some have zip-off legs so they double as shorts.

You're likely to experience rain. If so, your jeans will get wet and take forever to dry.

Rather than pajama pants and athletic shorts, take a long pair of warm up pants to cover both bases and wear while doing laundry. Also a decent substitute for jeans.

Here's my visual packing list, skip sandals for this trip:

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/profile?id=203861

My 26 year old son swears by Dickie's brand pants and shorts for travel. They wear great, look good, and not expensive. he buys his as a local army/navy store.
He took Dickies to Israel for 10 days and to Germany for 5.

Shirts too...

Where exactly would you dry clothes in a hostel dorm?

Josh, this may be non-negotiable (!), but IF you don't need pajama pants, that's one less item for your bag. Possibly you could either substitute a pair of shorts, of just slip the shorts on when taking those trips 'down the hall'...Will you be doing 'athletics' in your athletic shorts? Or are they just for lounging? Can you perhaps wear one of your other shorts for the same task?

Just start thinking in a 'multi-tasking' sort of way - whether talking about clothes or other things you 'need'.

I know - this isn't exactly what you were asking for LOL but I thought I'd throw it out there. And I'm with the others on the jeans...IF you will have access to a dryer and don't mind baby-sitting your clothes, then you have my blessing. I know you've waited all week for that...;-)

visit a local sporting good store such as REI. You can get travel clothing such as polyester pants and shorts. If you get the shorts they are dual-purpose; walking shorts during warm days, also double as swim trunks. As for underwear a few pairs of the poly kind (exOfficio or less expensive brands) wash easily and dry quickly. I've never stayed in hostels so I don't know if you'll get a washer/dryer or have to hang your clothes somewhere to dry. And I'm with the rest; jeans are heavy and dry slowly.

Probably not in the dorm, but elsewhere in the hostel . There are often inside drying rooms, outside clothes lines, sometimes even dryers.

I would adjust your list as follows: 5 shirts in total (Ts, short sleeved, long sleeved, whichever you prefer). If you must have your jeans - wear 1 pair and pack 1 pair of light weight pants. Jeans don't need to be laundered every day anyways. 2 shorts in total plus swim trunks. Pajama pants - how about light lounge pants? Take whatever socks and underwear you need. Favourite jacket and a dark sweater (wear on the plane and remove when you board). Any more will be unnecessary. Have a great trip!

Thanks for all the advice. You guys are amazing :)

So here is my new packing list:
2 collared, short sleeved; 1 long sleeved; 2 t-shirts; 1 undershirt; 3 shorts; 1 or 2 long pants (khakis, no jeans); athletic shorts (pajama bottoms); light sweater; spring or light weight, water-resistant jacket; 3 pairs of socks and underwear; casual shoes (dining out); running shoes (museum walks); flip flops (shower and beach); Rick Steves' clothing line; plus some other miscellaneous things.

Should I take a umbrella instead of an rain coat/water-resistant jacket? Also, the Rick Steves' clothing line says you don't need hanging pins. Should I still bring them?

Hmmm, you packing list is certainly headed in the right direction. I personally would limit the number of pairs of footwear I bring, but hey, if you're comfortable carry them around Europe.....
As for the clothsline/ pins...I spent 6 weeks in Europe last Fall and never used my clothesline once( I have the one Rick recommends and to which you refer). I found that even in the budget hotels I stayed in, there were always several hangers in the closet/dresser already, plus I brought two cheap plastic ones with me( flexible enough that they could bend a fair bit without breaking, and weigh next to nothing. This was plenty for me, as I washed a few articles of clothing everyday, hung them on the hangers, and they were dry by morning. Staying in hostels may make a difference, perhaps some hostelers here can post as to the availablility of hangers in hostel rooms.

I was going to bring a small travel umbrella but a friend who was in Amsterdam, where my wife and I are going in September, told me that the best thing would be to buy a full-size umbrella there, that the small travel umbrellas are not sturdy enough or big enough for windy Dutch weather.

I'm going to mess you up and say bring the jeans. If you normally wear them 24-7, I'd totally recommend them. I brought mine last summer to London/Ireland/Wales/Scotland, and was very glad. I felt like I fit in more, and they were warmer than my 'travel' pants. Regarding washing - I stayed in dorms mostly, actually, entirely, lol. I brought Rick's clothesline and inflatable hangers, and didn't use them ever (in two months!). I did use the soap and fabric softener, and spare change. Everywhere had coin machines for washing, and for a few dollars, it was well worth it to wash and dry my clothes. And seriously, jeans don't need as much washing as people seem to give them, unless you're rolling in mud. I ended up wearing my Tilley travel socks more often as they were comfy, and did handwash them as they dried exceedingly quickly. I'll happily give up an hour every 4-5 days and a few dollars, rather than washing in the sink and drying in the room. If machines are available at your hostels, I'd use them. Seriously, the cost is a tiny part of what your trip is costing you. However, this only works if laundry facilities are readily available... I know people often stay where there aren't any. As for what you're packing... I'd take it down to 3-4 shirts total, and 1 pair of shorts. I'd also reduce the shoes by at least one (can you have decent running/walking shoes, so you can skip the dressier ones?), and increase underwear socks to 4 each.

Travel umbrellas are only good if it's raining and not windy. Most of the time it will be rainy and windy so a packable rainshell is a better option and they take up almost the same amount of space in your bag. I bring a clothing line but hostels aren't the best place for air drying unless you plan to stay with your stuff - things tend to walk away by themselves in hostels when unattended.