travel clothesline?

I have the RS one and I like it, but I don't think you could fit 12 - 15 tops on it. Maybe you could use two?

Make sure you get the kind with velcro on the ends, not suction cups.

Have a great trip!

How many tops do you wear in a day? 12-15? Wash a little every day, then you won't need such a big clothesline.

I have one, the twisted, elastic kind like ETBD sells, but I have never been able to use it as no place I have stayed has ever had two places to attach it that were far enough apart. Before the last trip I got one with suction cups and was able to use it between two tile walls in the bathroom.

I also got inflatible hangers. Those work well because they allow good air circulation between the front and the back of the garment.

I also have a collapsable drying rack, I think it is for drying sweaters, it's kind of a warped plactic circle with mesh between. It works well for drying small items.

Well, I see that you want to wash full loads since since you have a washer in the apartment. And as you said, usually apartments have clotheslines and/or drying racks in the laundry room, have you tried emailing them and asking?

My first rental owner warned me that European appliances (washers, dishwashers) take longer to run through their cycles than US appliances. Who knew? If that's true in your country too, keep that in mind when planning out laundry chores-- it takes longer than you think to do laundry.
(edited out clothesline info... )

We use 2 of Rick Steves' clothes lines. I believe each one stretches out about 6'.

Check with whom you are renting the apartments. Many of their washing machines double as dryers. (They area rare to find in the U.S.)

If not, I also have the RS clothesline with velcro ends. They won't hold 12-15 tops. You'll need at least 3 clotheslines for that. They don't take up much room.

But I agree you should find out if the apartments have either clotheslines or drying racks before you go as well as whether thee washers are combo machines.

(I've always found it strange in the UK to see washing machines in the kitchen and not in a separate area. )

There is probably a Container Store and/or Bed Bath and Beyond in your area (San Jose). They have travel clothes lines. I don't think any will hold that many items. Buy two. You might also consider bungee cords and those French style clothes pins (available at stores above or any office supply stores).

I've used other drying lines, but like RS the best & have used them for years. I have 2 and usually bring them both on a trip. I like that the new ones have a Velcro loop.

We had a washer and dryer in the apartment we rented in Paris and they were very small (4 pairs of jeans = one load) and they took a long time. About 1 1/2 hours for a load in the washer, and twice that long in the dryer. I love the inflatable hangers. You can buy them at a travel store. To hang pants to dry I use they hangers that they use for pants in stores. They don't take up much room and you can leave them behind when you come home.

I've taken a braided rubber clothesline - similar to the RS one but thinner and takes up less space. Worked great.

What will help is if you take 2 mini-carabiners (REI sells them) or s-hooks. That way, you can loop the ends around a myriad of objects, and then hook the line to itself (if that makes sense). You can also easily shorten the clothesline, if needed.

It's true many Europeans have washer/dryer combinations.

If they don't have that, they typically have a place to hang dry their clothes. Ask where they dry their clothes. They probably have outdoor clotheslines available.

I always carry the stretchy clothline but I only wash a pair of socks, underwear and maybe a t-shirt on any given day.

Hi Shirl,its very likely that although there are no dryers, there are clotheslines (very common throughout Europe). We brought a 20 year old twisted elastic clothesline with hooks on either end that could hook onto anything or around something and hook back on its self. We also bought one of Ricks clothes lines and if needed used them both. In one hostel room we needed to attach them together to span the room in order to have one end on a bed and the other on a door handle. They are small,take up very little room in your bag and I think are worth bringing,just in case.

If you’re serious about a future of carefree traveling, start buying anything you wear based on its ability to dry fast, and wear these clothes exclusively – traveling or not. I started this twelve years ago when I was living on my boat, and by now most of what I have dries overnight without a dryer – traveling or not.

By the way, I have one of those washer/dryer combinations (in one machine) several of you have mentioned. They work great.

Years ago I bought something online called a Blowsdryer. It is a small packable garment bag with a grommet that holds the nozzle from a standard small travel hair dryer. The idea is to hang up wet clothes inside the bag and blow the hot air in to inflate the bag with hot air. A few shirts or bathing suits dry in about 20 minutes wrinkle free - heavier things longer. Works like a charm. Unfortunately I can't find it online anymore, so if anyone can please let me know. If not, you might be able to rig one up with a garment bag like this:
http://www.ebags.com/travelon/stow_away_garment_cover/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=18571#testimonialJump
Please test for safety first so it doesn't melt!

Years ago I bought something online called a Blowsdryer. It is a small packable garment bag with a grommet that holds the nozzle from a standard small travel hair dryer. The idea is to hang up wet clothes inside the bag and blow the hot air in to inflate the bag with hot air. A few shirts or bathing suits dry in about 20 minutes wrinkle free - heavier things longer. Works like a charm. Unfortunately I can't find it online anymore, so if anyone can please let me know. If not, you might be able to rig one up with a garment bag like this:
http://www.ebags.com/travelon/stow_away_garment_cover/product_detail/index.cfm?modelid=18571#testimonialJump
Please test for safety first so it doesn't melt!

my husband and I travel VERY light-so we do laundry in motel rooms a lot-have a very small line with clips that usually will string up somewhere in motel room-have done this in over 15 European trips without ever going to a laundromat-which we find to be very expensive compared to the USA

I bought a 25 foot clothesline from the camping section at Walmart that I will try on the next trip. It's basicly a rope so you will have to bring some hangers which I always do since you can hang up clothes in the bathroom while you are taking a shower to get the wrinkles out. Of course I always buy wrinkle free clothes also.

I just have about a 30 foot length of nylon cord that I have knotted on each end to prevent raveling. We just string it across the bathroom or bedroom -- wherever there is a knob or handle to tie it to. We also bring along 3 to 5 hangers from the dry cleaners in each suitcase to hang shirts, etc. They are really cheap and light weight. We leave them at our last stop. I've tried the twisted line with the suction cups or clips. I always end up using the nylon cord. The hangers are good for socks and other stuff beside shirts too. If a fan is available, that decreases the drying time as well.