The editor at Lifehacker Australia spent the entire month of May traveling with "Hand Luggage Only," or what us folks from the states call a carry-on bag. He learned a lot about what it takes to manage laundry on the road.
When you think about it, clothing truly is the last barrier between being able to travel light and lugging a sizable bag around airports, taxis, subways, and hotel lobbies. College students and those heading out for single overnights can get by with one or two outfits, but what if you're staying a bit but still want to economize on baggage? Angus Kidman recommends seeking out hotels with reasonable laundry service, or doing your own light hand washing with a small but crucial tool:
If you look at the contents of my bag, clothes don't take up a lot of room - and they didn't. But the price of that compact approach was that I essentially had to hand wash whatever I was wearing every single day. That worked OK when I was in a warmer location for a few days, but in the final week, when I'd wake every morning and have to pack semi-damp clothes in a plastic bag before moving on, it seemed less appealing.The alternative is to utilise the laundry in your hotel. That presumes that there is one, and that you're willing to spend quite a lot ... If you do want to rely on hand washing, pack your own sink plug - far too many hotels don't have them or offer options that don't work effectively.
With the warmer months ahead for many in the U.S., it's worth keeping Kidman's advice in mind for lighter vacations with no bag-check fees, but it might also be a bit too much work on a tight schedule. See how our readers vacation with just one backpack, and deposit your own efficient luggage tips in the comments.
The comments on this post are illuminating. Make sure you read them too.
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