Packing Light for 10 days & No Laundry Facilities

[SarahZ]

I've also washed clothes in the bathtub. You could bring a little Ziploc bag of powder detergent or put some liquid detergent in an empty travel-size bottle of some sort. I would recommend liquid, as powder will leave white spots if not rinsed thoroughly.

I let the clothes soak for about a half-hour to give the detergent time to loosen the oils and dirt, and then I "agitate" and scrub them by hand for about ten minutes. I drain the tub, and then I run the clothes under the water as it's filling with clear water. Then, I agitate the clothes again to rinse them and run them under the water a second time as the tub is draining.

Using the hair dryer is a good idea if you want to pre-dry them. Wringing them out could cause wrinkles, but I've found that as long as I lay them flat over the heater or hang them up on hangers or over the shower rod, the wrinkles go away as they dry. I do that at home too. I dry things in the dryer for about ten minutes and then hang them right away. I hate ironing.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Ironing? What's this ironing you speak of? :giggle:

 

[MiRider]

Ironing? What's this ironing you speak of? :giggle:

LOL - I used to be obsessed about wrinkle free clothing.

I ironed EVERY DAY! :blink:

Now I don't care about a wrinkle or two or three and if you wear any linen or cotton, ironing is a exercise is futility anyway.

 

[SarahZ]

Plus, a lot of fabrics are "wrinkle-free" now.

When I was younger, my mother ironed everything, including underwear, sheets, handkerchiefs, and pajamas. :blink: Ironing became one of my chores as soon as I was tall enough to use the ironing board safely. As such, I HATE ironing and do everything possible to avoid it. Hanging my clothes or laying them over our radiators usually does the trick, but I do have a couple shirts that need a quick touch-up after they've been in a suitcase.

 

[lthanlon]

On my 30 day rail pass trip I did this to solve the laundry problem: Start out by packing old worn out clothes, especially undergarments, and I threw them away when done with them. Then I mailed a box of clean clothes ahead to pick up along the way. It worked well and I got rid of a bunch of ratty old things that had been taking up space in my closet!

Great minds think alike.

 

[lthanlon]

Plus, a lot of fabrics are "wrinkle-free" now.
When I was younger, my mother ironed everything, including underwear, sheets, handkerchiefs, and pajamas. :blink: Ironing became one of my chores as soon as I was tall enough to use the ironing board safely. As such, I HATE ironing and do everything possible to avoid it. Hanging my clothes or laying them over our radiators usually does the trick, but I do have a couple shirts that need a quick touch-up after they've been in a suitcase.

The day before my Texas Eagle trip last fall, folks were passing out free samples of Downy Wrinkle Releaser Spray in front of my workplace. This stuff worked like a charm on my two 50/50 button-down shirts. I used the spray as directed, and then hung the shirts in my roomette's tiny closet.

 

[SarahZ]

You are my new best friend. I'm going to buy some of that for my next business trip.

 

[Everydaymatters]

Joanie, those are great sites, thanks. I love Rick Steves, too. But I can only dream about packing as lightly as he suggests!
Betty, sounds like you should be giving the advice! Are the bags you mentioned the ones that you take the air out of? I've always been afraid they would stop working and I couldn't get everything back in! If they are, it's good to know they've worked well.

Strangely (or I thought it was very unusual not to say "pack light"), the tour company recommends taking enough clothes for the entire trip, and to not count on any laundry facilities. They said they'd probably be available, but would not be reasonably priced. They say "one large suitcase" (up to 28" and 48 pounds) and one non-luggage type, soft tote. They handle the larger bag for us. I just bought a large suitcase (27") because I didn't think I could bite the bullet enough to get by with my 22" one. Part of the trip will be in the mountains so some layers will be necessary. But the suitcase honestly looks HUGE to me. I'm still playing around with what I need to take.

Sounds like you are all set to go. Have fun!

In my last post I inadvertently wrote that it would be more sanitary to wash clothes in the sink. That was erroneous. IMHO it would be more sanitary to wash clothes In the shower.

If you are taking a tour and they are moving your suitcase for you, a 28" suitcase is good. But I found that a 28" suitcase was more weight than I wanted to have to take care of. On my last 7 day cruise I used a 24" suitcase and a tote. That was for 7 days of cruising and 4 days of train time.

About the space saving bags I got from Walmart, they have zip tops like the freezer bags have, but much stronger. The two I broke were from not being careful when zipping them. You roll them slowly and the air goes out.

I've always wondered about the ones they advertise where you use a vacuum hose to get the air out. How many hotels have vacuums for customer use?

Another thing about doing laundry. I don't remember where I got it, but I have a little container of laundry sheets. The container is about the size of your thumb. You might be able to find them at Magellans.com.

Regarding suitcases, I have several of them and no longer shop around for them, but when I was buying suitcases I always picked them up in the store and chose the one with the least weight.

 

[MiRider]

I had some of those vacuum storage bags and every one of them failed - they're not cheap either.

I only used them for home storage though but I never bought them again.

I do use compression travel bags - bought mine at Target.

None of mine have failed yet, they're pretty heavy duty.

They're easy to use in a small space, like a train seat - I use one if I'm taking a pillow and blanket and it's easy to compress them.

Target Embark Compression Bags

I just discovered that Ziploc also makes travel bags.

3 for approx $7, I haven't seen them in a store yet but there are numerous place to buy them online.

They get mixed reviews on amazon but at that price might be worth a try.

Ziploc Big Bags

I used to intertwine my tote handles onto my rolling bag's telescoping handle but it tended to flop over at times and was a pain to take off in a hurry.

I just bought one of these luggage bungees and I love it - retail $15

Travelon Bag Bungee

 

[iPat09]

Sorry if this has already been mentioned. I didn't exactly take the time to read all the posts.

But my brother and I are also taking a 10 day trip with only 2 days being spent at a hotel. Since we will have a roomette on every route, we will each have a suitcase with all of our clothes that we will keep on the luggage racks downstairs. Then we will each have a smaller duffel bag to hold the clothes we need for that leg of the journey in our roomette. At each transfer, we will just take the dirty clothes, put them in ziploc bags with fabric softener, and swap them out for fresh clothing in our larger suitcases. This keeps us from having to check any luggage and we will always have it all with us incase one train is raining late and we have to board the next one quickly.

 

[MiRider]

A lot of great tips in this thread.

Too bad we can't have a new luggage/packing thread in FAQs and First Time Rider Info section.

I think a lot of new and experienced riders could benefit from it.

 

[leemell]

I had some of those vacuum storage bags and every one of them failed - they're not cheap either.I only used them for home storage though but I never bought them again.

I do use compression travel bags - bought mine at Target.

None of mine have failed yet, they're pretty heavy duty.

They're easy to use in a small space, like a train seat - I use one if I'm taking a pillow and blanket and it's easy to compress them.

Target Embark Compression Bags

I just discovered that Ziploc also makes travel bags.

3 for approx $7, I haven't seen them in a store yet but there are numerous place to buy them online.

They get mixed reviews on amazon but at that price might be worth a try.

Ziploc Big Bags

I used to intertwine my tote handles onto my rolling bag's telescoping handle but it tended to flop over at times and was a pain to take off in a hurry.

I just bought one of these luggage bungees and I love it - retail $15

Travelon Bag Bungee

Thanks for posting this. That solves the problem. I've tried many solutions of my own making, but none were made like this.

 

[Casinocim]

Plus, a lot of fabrics are "wrinkle-free" now.
When I was younger, my mother ironed everything, including underwear, sheets, handkerchiefs, and pajamas. :blink: Ironing became one of my chores as soon as I was tall enough to use the ironing board safely. As such, I HATE ironing and do everything possible to avoid it. Hanging my clothes or laying them over our radiators usually does the trick, but I do have a couple shirts that need a quick touch-up after they've been in a suitcase.

The day before my Texas Eagle trip last fall, folks were passing out free samples of Downy Wrinkle Releaser Spray in front of my workplace. This stuff worked like a charm on my two 50/50 button-down shirts. I used the spray as directed, and then hung the shirts in my roomette's tiny closet.

I love the Downy Wrinkle Release, always take it on trips. Besides it taking care of wrinkles, it also has a scent to it, so if you need to wear clothes for more than a day, just lightly spritz them with the Downy and it gives them a sort of fresh scent.

 

[Casinocim]

I've also washed clothes in the bathtub. You could bring a little Ziploc bag of powder detergent or put some liquid detergent in an empty travel-size bottle of some sort. I would recommend liquid, as powder will leave white spots if not rinsed thoroughly.
I let the clothes soak for about a half-hour to give the detergent time to loosen the oils and dirt, and then I "agitate" and scrub them by hand for about ten minutes. I drain the tub, and then I run the clothes under the water as it's filling with clear water. Then, I agitate the clothes again to rinse them and run them under the water a second time as the tub is draining.

Using the hair dryer is a good idea if you want to pre-dry them. Wringing them out could cause wrinkles, but I've found that as long as I lay them flat over the heater or hang them up on hangers or over the shower rod, the wrinkles go away as they dry. I do that at home too. I dry things in the dryer for about ten minutes and then hang them right away. I hate ironing.

I hate ironing also and do the same with my clothes in the dryer. I bought a steamer which works really well for those clothes that need help but it needs to be one of decent quality. I have never had luck with travel steamers and found the Downy Wrinkle Release for trips and it works great!

 

[June the Coach Rider]

On my recent trip, I washed things out in the sink or the tub if the sink was too small and then hung them over the heater/air conditioner in the hotel room over the back of a chair or on hangers on the curtain rod. I actually brought more than I needed and next time will be able to pack even lighter. Amazon has http://www.amazon.com/Travelon-Laundry-Soap-Sheets-50-Count/dp/B000Y0CL8K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362932479&sr=8-1&keywords=travel+washing+soap

which is what I used for laundry. It worked fantastic and even was able to wash my train traveling jeans while I was at the hotel and they were dry and ready for the return trip.

I used all the Travelon sheets that they have, they have hand cleaner, body wash, etc. these are really space savers and work well enough for cleaning. For cleaning up on the train, as I was in coach, I did sponge baths with baby wipes. Came out smelling great and was clean. For the LD train ride, you really do not do very much, so needing only to change the undies and socks daily and then the shirt once was perfect for me.

 

[oregon pioneer]

One little tip for those of us that are sensitive to those "scented" products: REI Co-op, EMS, and other outdoor outfitters carry small bottles, jars & refillable tubes for you to repackage your own personal care and laundry products. Our local variety store has some too, but I find the best selection at REI.

Just a side note: I used to think I was not chemically sensitive, I just had this perennial slightly congested nose -- and then my sweetie (yes, Hubby) convinced me to change to more natural/unscented products because HE was sensistive to the ones I was using. I did, and the side benefit is that now I can breathe freely, and smell the most delicate scents. I also really notice when someone walks by me wearing clothes washed in those fabric softeners. If I spend the evening in a roomful of it, I can't smell it -- but it takes till morning for my nose to unstuff again.

If you like those products, I'm not criticizing you. You're in the American mainstream. But if you recognize yourself in the paragraph above, I hope I've said someting that may help you. And BTW, this is one of the reasons we prefer train travel. You aren't cooped up like sardines in a can, and in general, the air is way freer of the bugs and chemicals you'd find when you crowd a couple hundred people in an airplane.

 

[crescent2]

OK, I'm going to put in a blurb (recommendation) for one of my favorite products, Charlie's Soap laundry powder, which is really a plant-based detergent. I try to be kind to the Earth, but I am sorry to admit that I'm not always overly "green." But this is a green product, made in N.C., and has no additives, brighteners, scents, etc. It's recommended for cloth diapers, people with allergies, and backpackers, but I just like it for all laundry. It only takes a tad, it rinses out easily (once it's gotten all the OLD detergent residues out, that is), and in the quantities used, doesn't pollute. I take a little in a small baggie when I travel, just in case. White powder in a baggie maybe isn't always the best item to include in luggage, but I've not been detained yet. LOL

 

[oregon pioneer]

I wish there was a "like" button on this forum, this is one of the many times I would use it! I see that my local natural foods distributor carries Charlie's (liquid and powder), so I can order it through my local store. The powder may be better for carrying in my luggage than a little bottle of liquid.

 

[ScottC4746]

I'm getting ready to pack for a 10 day trip and because of back problems, I really have to pack light. I got a great price on a hotel bid on Priceline, but discovered they have no guest laundry facilities. Do any of you have suggestions or ideas on how to pack the minimum for a 10 day trip? Eight of those days will be on the train.

Thanks,

Betty

Not sure about 10 days but we are about to do 2 on SWC, 1 in Chicago, 2 on CZ, 2 in San Francisco so, normally on my two night train trips I have usually gone in the warm months and bring 2 polo type shirts, 1 pair shorts, 1 pair jeans, tennis shoes, sleep wear, and the appropriate number of undergarmets. I wear shorts during the day and change to jeans for dinner. Yes I am old fashioned. and have been fine. This trip we are staying at Residence Inn very near ChI union station that has coin op on property, plus a 4 PM same day cancelation policy. By that time I will have an idea if we are going to be 12 hours late or not.

 

[leemell]

I had some of those vacuum storage bags and every one of them failed - they're not cheap either.I only used them for home storage though but I never bought them again.

I do use compression travel bags - bought mine at Target.

None of mine have failed yet, they're pretty heavy duty.

They're easy to use in a small space, like a train seat - I use one if I'm taking a pillow and blanket and it's easy to compress them.

Target Embark Compression Bags

I just discovered that Ziploc also makes travel bags.

3 for approx $7, I haven't seen them in a store yet but there are numerous place to buy them online.

They get mixed reviews on amazon but at that price might be worth a try.

Ziploc Big Bags

I used to intertwine my tote handles onto my rolling bag's telescoping handle but it tended to flop over at times and was a pain to take off in a hurry.

I just bought one of these luggage bungees and I love it - retail $15

Travelon Bag Bungee

We bought two of these and they are exactly what we needed. I ended a 10 year attempt to make this work. Thank you so much for the information.

 

[NW cannonball]

I wish there was a "like" button on this forum, this is one of the many times I would use it! I see that my local natural foods distributor carries Charlie's (liquid and powder), so I can order it through my local store. The powder may be better for carrying in my luggage than a little bottle of liquid.

Mee too - like like like

So much good advice in this thread.

Thanks to all

 

[CHamilton]

I'd buy this -- despite the price -- but it doesn't come in sizes large enough.

This Shirt Can Be Worn For 100 Days Without Washing, Which Sounds Incredibly Sketchy But Also Awesome


The creators of Wool&Prince are claiming that you can wear their wool button-down shirts for days on end without them wrinkling, smelling or showing any dirt. ...

Testers recruited by Wool&Prince all unsurprisingly claim that no matter what they do, the shirts look fresh from the dry cleaner all the time....The material for the shirts is woven out of fine wool thread and there's a lot of "Wool Science" about temperature, wicking, thread dynamics and cotton comparison.

Wool&Prince is six days into a Kickstarter and is already collecting for stretch goals because it has exceeded the initial $30,000 target. The shirts are $98 each, which might be worth it if there's really no dry cleaning or washing needed for months at a time.

 

[sunchaser]

Betty,

Have you checked for laundromats at your destination?You have gotten a lot of good ideas here, I would suggest purchasing the eagle creek pack it system at Shoebuy.com. It should hold close to all of the clothes you would need, and is pretty small. The packing folder is supposed to hold 12 clothing items, and the packing cube is supposed to hold 6 shirts. This will also give you AGR points (14 to the dollar).

http://www.shoebuy.com/eagle-creek-world-traveler-pack-it-system-set/502708/1058484

They also have the 'bag bungee'

http://www.shoebuy.com/travelon-bag-bungee/376988

Drugstore.com carries the bag bungee too, for $12.99, and you would get 9 AGR points to the dollar. You may want to pick up some 'Tide to go' pens for spot cleaning-

http://www.drugstore.com/search/search_results.asp?N=0&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallpartial&Ntk=All&srchtree=1&Ntt=tide+to+go&Go.x=10&Go.y=15&CSRFToken=NXJaFtDnbU6ASgGirT%2FRHCu4I%2FjGs1MPji71UdQPO28%3D

They also have charlies soap-

http://www.drugstore.com/charlies-soap-laundry-powder-100-loads/qxp310898?catid=184417

Have a great trip!

 

[Everydaymatters]

My trip was last month and it worked out well. I had the right combination of clothes to switch around, including clothes I could wash in the hotel sink which dried overnight. I used the little laundry soap sheets. I can't recall where I got them, but I know Magellans.com has them.

Another thing I found out was that instead of using my usual large tote to keep in the room, I used a messenger bag. It is a cheap vinyl one and it lies flat when placed on a hook in the room. It takes up much, much less room in the tiny roomette. Each day I would go down to my suitcase and switch clothes to be laundered with fresh clothes and put them in the messenger bag for the next day's use.

There were two of us in the room and space is at a premium with two.

 

[sunchaser]

My trip was last month and it worked out well. I had the right combination of clothes to switch around, including clothes I could wash in the hotel sink which dried overnight. I used the little laundry soap sheets. I can't recall where I got them, but I know Magellans.com has them.
Another thing I found out was that instead of using my usual large tote to keep in the room, I used a messenger bag. It is a cheap vinyl one and it lies flat when placed on a hook in the room. It takes up much, much less room in the tiny roomette. Each day I would go down to my suitcase and switch clothes to be laundered with fresh clothes and put them in the messenger bag for the next day's use.

There were two of us in the room and space is at a premium with two.

HA!!! I should have paid more attention. Sorry! Still a bit distracted! Glad the trip went well!