I've been an avid reader of this board for awhile now, so wanted to give back with a post-mortem on the luggage and clothes I brought for four weeks in Germany last month.
We were in northern and western Germany -- flew into Berlin and back from Frankfurt.
Traveled by train while there (no car).
Temperatures generally between the mid-40s and low 60s. A few days with occasional light rain.
Laundry machines available at our hotels about once a week; did sink laundry in between.
Luggage etc:
- Main luggage was a TravelPro spinner. Carryon-sized but I always check it because I don't like schlepping it around the airport or scrumming for overhead space.
- Carry-on was a Rangeland 21-liter daypack. I really like this for air travel - it's easy to pack due to its rectangular shape, and it's not too thick to fit under airline seats unless really stuffed. Not ergonomic enough for serious day-hiking but we weren't doing that on this trip.
- Everyday carry was a Baggalini triple zip crossbody purse, augmented with a very light drawstring backpack if I wanted to carry snacks/water/etc.
- Also had a packable IKEA shopping bag that I used a lot for grocery shopping.
Clothes, including what I wore on the plane; overall was about the right amount:
Tops
- 2 Woolx short sleeved Ts, one blue, one purple
- 1 nice cotton print short sleeved T
- 1 very light cheap maroon cotton/modal short sleeved T (wore on plane)
- 1 one black/white striped cotton long sleeved T.
Wore all of them but the Woolx Ts the most. I was reluctant to spend that much on T-shirts but now I think they were worth it.
Pants
- 2 pairs Eddie Bauer Rainier pants, one black, one gray
- 1 pair black ponte knit Eileen Fisher pants (wore on plane).
Layering
- black rayon blend long sleeved Uniqlo blouse (worn as jacket)
- dark gray long sleeved Drifit quarter-zip
- black Eddie Bauer Departure blazer - never wore this, Germany is casual
- black 32 Degree long underwear pants
- black silk/viscose/nylon cardigan - only wore a couple of times, I found indoor spaces in Germany to be overheated.
Wore the blouse and the quarter-zip a lot.
Wasn't cold enough outdoors for the long underwear pants but did wear them as hotel room loungewear.
Outerwear
- black puffer jacket
- black Columbia rain jacket. Useful as a windbreaker even when it wasn't raining.
Didn't bring a hat, but after a day of chilly weather I bought a knit cap at Uniqlo in Hamburg.
Underwear and socks
- 7 underpants
- 2 bras
- 1 pair compression socks (wore on plane)
- 3 pairs Costco merino blend crew socks
- 3 pairs Darn Tough quarter running socks.
Sleep/loungewear
- 32 Degree PJ pants
- 2 lightweight short sleeved Ts (1 sleep T isn't enough if you're menopausal)
Shoes
- black Brooks Ghost running shoes
- black Arcopedico city boots.
These boots weren't the greatest for cobblestones - soles not thick enough - but ok for the amount of walking we did.
Notes on sink laundry:
- Did the laundry in a cheap drybag from Walmart. Previously I've used a 2 gallon ziploc, which is ok too but the drybag lasts longer and dries faster.
- Used a Sea to Summit clothesline (https://seatosummit.com/products/lite-line-clothesline) for the first time on this trip. I liked it and will take it on future trips, although the plain nylon twine I've used before works ok too.
- One hint I haven't seen here before - in my laundry kit I include some small clothespins from the Walmart craft section. Good for hanging lightweight items, or for separating hangers on a clothesline.
Hope this is useful - I've learned a lot from this board.