Why all the stress about laundry?

Depends on where you are. I think the bigger concerns are a) cost and b) taking time out of sightseeing to spend in a laundromat. 5 minutes of washing socks in the sink and hanging them up to dry right before bed beats wandering around looking for a laundry, figuring out how to operate it, and standing there waiting while your clothes wash.

Of course, some people do use laundrettes and it works fine. To each, their own.

Yes, sometimes it is very difficult to find a laundrette. They are not open 24 hours a day and some have limited schedules (9-4, Mon-Fri, no Sat & Sun). They are not always located near your accommodations. I have often wished that someone would post an annoucement in the hotel/B& B that they will do laundry in a day (pick-up & delivery).

We did both...washed some in the sink and then used laundry facilities a couple times for the month we were there. Paris was no problem as there was a place we dropped it off and picked up the next day. Bit pricey, but worth it because we didn't have to sit and do it ourselves. Cochem was another story. We figured we'd be able to find a place, but no luck! Asking at our hotel they said there wasn't anywhere there to do it, but she graciously offered to do it for us...for free!! I have to give huge compliments to Hotel Loespicher for doing that for us. Otherwise we would have been going to Berlin very stinky!

For those of us who travel light, with only 3-4 days worth of clothes,we don't want to have to go to a laundrette every 3 days or so for a few hours. We'd rather wash in the sink at night, hang it up, and pack it away in the morning.

You're going for a week and I'm guessing you're going with a week's worth of clothes. That's fine. I only travel that heavy if I'm going to be in one place for the entire time.

It might not be a problem to find them , but I don't believe I want to go every day or 2 times per day to wash 1 or 2 things. Plus the cost involved.

Might it be difficult? Yes.

In 84 days in Germany in the last 8 years, I have only seen two that I can remember.

But I agree with Frank, it is much easier to just wash out a few things every night than to go to a launromat every third or fourth day.

Kent - You'll have to wear your jammies since you only took what you were wearing on the plane.

Laundrettes in Germany must be scarce. The one in St. Goar was closed during the five days I was there. Rick gave directions for a laundry in Baden-Baden. A friend and I gave up after a 30 minute hike uphill and never found it. I bought another tee shirt! Hand laundry is needed (except for Kent)!
:-)

I've almost decided I'm only packing black tee shirts.

It must depend on where you travel -- I had no problem finding them in Britain, France, or Italy. I've done both, and I think it's a lot easier to hit a laundromat. Sure, you can do underwear or small things in the sink to stretch it, but hanging pants and shirts in a shower to dry is a hassle and certainly time consuming.

If you go to a laundromat, you run your wash in 30 minutes and you dry for 30-40 minutes (and your clothes look nicer) and you're on your way. Plus, it's a fun cultural experience and can lead to some fun conversations.

There is a lot of variation in the availability of laundromats from country to country. They seem to be rather scarce in Italy, but there are many places which wash, dry and fold your clothes for you. In the UK, on the other hand, they are plentiful. If you are only going for a week, however, I can't see why you would need to do laundry at all. Ignore the IMO sometimes silly advice about packing light that appears on this site. Take enough to last through your trip. For other travelers who are wondering about this, one tip we discovered is that you can usually find laundromats in areas around universities.

I don't think it's a good idea to tell someone to ignore all the advice given on this board just because you don't agree with it.

As with everything, we all have the option of picking and choosing what works for us and what doesn't.

Sometimes it is better to be specific on what you disagree with and why, and give an alternative. Not dismiss all at once.

Rosalyn -- just because you think it is silly advice doesn't make it so. It is learned behavior. I am willing to bet that just about everyone who is a devotee of packing light at one time packed too heavy. Certainly that was true for us. It is your choice not mine.

Those who do not believe in " packing light" obviously have other people carry their bags!!!

I find laundrettes hard to find,, ( hmmm that came out odd) .. LOL

I see no reason anyone going for only one week really needs to worry about laundry anyways. . wash socks in sink if you are packing so light that you are only bringing two pairs, other then that a weeks worth of well chosen clothes should not take up too much room .

We've gone on two European trips (Bath/London/Paris in 2006 and Rome/Venice/Verona in late 2007) that were each 11 total days from departure to arrival home. Both times we had one laundry day in the middle.
We went to a nearby laundromat and washed everything we had once and we were good to go. Just remember to bring plenty of underwear.

Frank and Frank,

to be fair, Rosalyn's advice was targeted to Tami who is only going for a week. In this case, unless someone needs 10 outfits for 7 days, Rosalyn's advice to pack enough to avoid laundry is perfectly reasonable.

That is not to say that you can't pack light for a week and still avoid doing laundry. I went for 7 days, packed 3 outfits (and extra underwear!) into RS Appenzell daybag and wore everything twice--no washing.

I usually ignore personal gibes from people who don't agree with me; but, honestly Frank, you're a bit too much. I did say IMO some of the advice that appears here is silly. I'll give an example. More than once I've read the suggestion from women that they wear underpants for two days by using minipads. Or, they take just 2 or 3 tops and wash one every night or spray with some kind of freshener. IMO, silly! How much room does a T-shirt or some more underwear take? And, no, I'm not suggesting that people who are traveling for a month bring steamer trunks. You will note that the person who posted the question is traveling for a week. We base our packing on enough clothes to last a week and then do laundry. We easily fit everything in a 22 inch case each. And that's with me typically bringing 5 bottoms, 7 tops, at least 3 pairs of shoes and a bunch of assorted gear like sleepwear, umbrellas, books, etc. We're experienced enough that we use everything we bring except for stuff, like umbrellas, which is good to have but may not be used. I admit I like clean. I also like to look nice, especially since we enjoy an occasional restaurant splurge. And, I don't think that makes me morally inferior to those who preach the gospel of pack light. We do check our bags because regulations make it so hard to carry on everything. We are people in the 70 year old range, he a bit over; me a bit under. We always travel independently and carry/wheel our own luggage, sometimes over cobblestones, often up stairs. I responded to this thread because I thought a perspective different from the backpacker mentality needed to be aired. People obviously can decide where they fit. Oh, and I wasn't aware that you had to agree with everything Rick Steves advises in order to participate here.

Yesssss! I totally agree, Rosalyn! A one week trip does not require doing laundry. I check a carryon-size (21") bag when I travel. And like Steve, if my trip is longer I do laundry halfway through, if necessary. Let those who enjoy spending their evenings rinsing out their "dainties" do so -- I'd rather have a few extra pairs waiting in my suitcase, and spend my evenings out enjoying myself.

Yes Rosalyn! You pack just right! I have done laundry within a week at a laundramat because I knew I knew it would be another week before I had a chance.

Yes, the OP did state that she was only going for a week, and I think you can easily take enough clothes to go without washing clothes during the trip. However, at the same time she questioned why “SOOO MUCH stuff about how to wash”. And then she asked if is really so hard to find a launderette in Europe? So, she was addressing the whole wash-as-you-go “culture” and I think the ensuing discussion, by those of us who go for more than a week, of how much to pack and how often to wash, was entirely apropos.

After many trips, I have concluded:

I do not want to carry two full weeks of clean clothes. It would make it almost impossible to avoid checking luggage.

I cannot be assured of finding a launderette; in fact, based on my experience, I can pretty well be assured of NOT finding one.

Since I am going to have to wash at least a week’s worth of clothes by hand sometime while I’m over there, I might as well wash it a little as I go. Every afternoon, after I check into my room, I put on fresh clothes for the evening, wash the clothes I have just taken off, and hang them to dry. It only takes a few minutes, and my bag is a lot lighter because of it.

Save your almost worn out underwear for trips. Take it, wear it, and then toss it out instead of worrying about laundry. This also works for T-shirts, jeans, khakis, and a pair of dressy shoes if you need those.(It doesn't work for socks--almost worn out socks will give you blisters.) And you now have some space in your luggage for souvenirs! (I realize this advice doesn't work for everyone; consider it an alternative suggestion.)

My minimum trip is three weeks with one carry on bag. Laundry is definitely part of the equation.

Carrying enough clothes to last the trip without laundry is only a good option if someone else is carrying your bags.

Finding a laundromat isn't always easy in Europe, just as finding retail stores open late or on weekends isn't always easy (though it's changing somewhat). As an example, I was in Schlesswig, Germany. Schlesswig is a regional capitol. I asked some locals I was working with to point me to a laundromat. They responded, "You're in luck, there is one here. Most places don't have one."

One of the experiences for Americans traveling outside the US is the fact that consumers can't get whatever they want, whenever they want it.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, I was basically asking about the whole "culture" of washing stuff in a sink, etc. I will keep that in mind for when I go to Germany (thats NEXT trip!.) I guess I just assumed that they have facilities everywhere like here, hence, why I asked. I like to learn everything about that kind of stuff before I go! Thats why i like this board. I have never been to Europe before so im not sure what to expect (though I know the UK is similar to America). I will be spending the whole week in London, in the same hotel. I usually wear dresses and skirts and sweaters (those would be hard to wash in a sink!). Also, I figure, if someone doesnt want to bother with laundry, it cant hurt just to buy a few new outfits (typical woman, lol)...

Tami,, don't laugh, always leave a little room in your suitcase to buy a few new items. I am not a shopper, ( actually quite dislike it) but, it is fun to buy one or two new items , first to refresh wardrobe( I find after the first 10 days or so I am sick of wearing same items day in and day out, clean or not) , and second, as a memento of trip( how fun back at home to say " just something I picked up in Rome or Paris,LOL) .

But Schleswig (population ~24,000), seat of the administration of the "Kreis" Schleswig-Flensburg (population ~200,000), is much smaller than Boulder (CO) though.

The problem with finding laundromats is that they tend to be in (predominantly low income) resident areas, not in the "touristy" parts of town.

Yes Pat, I do plan on buying a few things! I am looking forward to a snazzy pair of knickers from Harrods...LOL

Knickers should be purchased at Marks & Spencer (M & S). I think all the UK buys underwear there.:-)

My favorite tee was purchased in Baden-Baden --- an affordable Hugo Boss. I wore it today!

Hi Tami, you said that you plan on buying some new clothes while in London. If you take the tube to Sloane Square, when you exit the station and look straight ahead will be Kings Road on your left side. Kings Road is a fantastic place to shop. Just starting walking down Kings Road and you will find some great shops.

I personally travel lite. I take woolite and I wash my clothes in the sink. I also use Laundromats when I can.

I do know that when I am staying in one place that i can pack a little more. But when i do long trips i pack light and do laundry.

I always appreate the opionions of anyone who reads these boards,

Adri

Laundry or not, I like the idea of carrying a little less and leave some space to buy an outfit there. It's a great souvenir. When you get home and get a complement, you can say, "I bought this in Europe" very matter of factly as if it's no big deal :)

Thanks for the knickers advice.. Marks & Sparks it is then!

Kings road is on my itenerary!!

If you do buy stuff, read the label.

Years ago I took a day trip from London to York. It was March and Britain was having a warm spell. I left London early and it was already 70 degrees F. Got to York.....45 degrees. I was freezing.

Walked down the Shambles and saw a sign in a window...Jumpers for 7 GBP ($10 US in those days). The area is known for wool so I thought that was a great deal. Went in and took a look. They felt more like sweatshirts than sweaters but for $10, I wanted to be warm.

Bought one and was able to enjoy the day feeling much warmer.

When I got back to London, I took the jumper off and looked at the label.....

Made in the USA

LOL Frank thats great!

My husband is a Brit and the last time he went to London he brought me back a silly tourist picture frame with big ben, all that, and it was made in Indonesia...

I have a travel secret. I go to my local thrift store and buy gently used t-shirts, tops, etc. If my clothes get dirty and I don't feel like doing laundry, then I can toss out that $1-$2 piece of clothing and not feel guilty. It's also a lot cheaper than doing laundry.
I'm lucky that my local thrift store has very nice used clothing and the prices are reasonable.
As far as underwear and socks, I look for sales at Target and stock up. I do the same thing. If I have the time to do laundry, great. If not, then I can just toss it out.

I agree with Kat! Haha, Trust me when i say sometimes it's easier to toss cheap t-shirts and buy funky new local ones. (Plus cool in pictures) Pack lots of undies!!! And check with your hotel/hostel. If you are staying in a hostel I found that about 90% of the ones I stayed in had laundry facilities that were really nice. Almost like home, except that whole paying for it thing. And you can purchase soap and softener from the desk. Keep in mind, this is most of the time. Not always.