If you had to manage without doing laundry for two weeks - could you?

[clary]

Inspired by a thread (but not a TAAT) that touched on washing clothes on holiday.

We used to go on SC holidays in the UK for a fortnight, and for various reasons took few clothes, so we needed a washing machine in our cottage. Clearly some people take enough clothes with them for the holiday. My midnight question is simply - could you do this for a two-week break?

I (obviously) literally couldn't. I don't own 14 pairs of knickers (or anything like it). I own about eight pairs of socks (and I need socks daily for walking and running). I own two pairs of shorts and about five casual T shirts. I own two hoodies and one pair of jeans. I don't own anything like enough running kit for 14 days.

Am I weird or is this relatively normal? I do own other clothes but they are smart work tops, smart tailored trousers, smartish dresses, none of which I would take on a UK beach holiday.

Anyway my relatively lighthearted challenge to you is - pack for a fortnight without laundry tablets. Possible?

I’d have enough undies just about but not enough for a clean t-shirt every day. I also have only one pair of jeans currently and two pairs of walking trousers plus only three pairs of hiking socks.

I don’t rent a cottage for anything longer than a weekend if it doesn’t have a washing machine and airer to dry them on (I don’t tumble my clothes).

I easily have enough work clothes to wear something different everyday for a couple of weeks (maybe even three actually) without having to wash anything though!

I've not had a washing machine for over 3 weeks. I'm currently sending out 8 Bags for Life a week of washing and that's without any big bedding washes

I'd always want a washing machine.

When we holiday in the uk it's almost exclusively in our 2nd home, which is fully equipped as we used to live in it! We usually spend a good bit of the last day tidying and cleaning, so I'll stick a couple of loads on then, so it's all clean and dry and just needs putting away when we get home. Plus something in between, there's either a washing line or tumbler depending on the weather. Even when we've gone abroad we'd always get a villa with a machine.

And our kids are young adults now so responsible for their own packing and laundry!

Yes I can. Everybody has enough underwear and socks.

If we go for 2 weeks holiday where sun is guaranteed I organise enough tops to last. DD has enough anyway as she wears the) underneath jumpers all year long. DH as well, he only wears anything long sleeve in deep winter.

I may buy another pair of shorts or cropped trousers but we all have enough for normal wear so I don’t wash all the time. But Summer wear is also worn at home from May/June to September in most years.

Sports gear may be different but I don’t know anyone who exercise all holiday like they would do at home unless it is a specific holiday for training.

I hate washing in a bathroom sink and I may throw a load into a machine on a sc holiday if beach towel etc are getting too manky.

I've always lived in flats with communal washing machines until very recently. It limited opportunities to do laundry as they were always occupied. So I do washing every two weeks. It's habit.

Yep, we used to go for 2 week holidays with a suitcase each. We'd hand wash underwear, socks and T shirts/shorts in the sink, but we'd take enough more "formal" wear to last the fortnight. A few tops and a few smart pants/skirts and just mix and match as each day passed. You don't need 14 different outfits.

At home, we could probably go a month. Knickers and socks would be first to run out (but we could handwash), but we have more than enough of everything else, including bedding, towels, pyjamas etc to last over a month.

I could easily do it, I think I have enough clothes to last me a year, including underwear! Yes I do need to streamline my wardrobe.

Yeah, easily...would need to hand wash some knickers and bikinis but that's about all.

Different when packing for small people though as they are much messier eaters than me. Always took more for the kids and hardly anything for me, preferred to keep luggage minimal.

It's the two weeks worth of toiletries I struggle with!

always did this for sunny holidays - although I was often doing watersports so the daytime kit is boardshorts, bikini top and rashvest. Two sets, one rinsed through in the shower each night and left to dry the next day. 'normal clothes' were t-shirts/vest tops, lightweight trousers, shorts, one fleece for the airport. 14 pairs of knickers, a couple of bras, job done. It's a holiday, who wants to do laundry?

also did two weeks at home with no washing when the kitchen was being rebuilt - the backlog of teatowels as well as normal laundry took a bit of clearing that time.

In the days before cheap flights when everything went into the hold we always had to pack for two weeks. The type of holiday we went on wouldn't have had a washing machine. I hand wash bikinis after every use anyway.

On holiday, pre DC, yes I have easily gone 2 weeks without a washing machine (would wash bikinis in travel wash and re-use beach wear / nightwear). I've always tended to go away to hot places so I didn't need many clothes.

Post DC, I am lucky to go 2 days without using the washing machine!
On holiday I'd be pushed to go more than 4/5 days without needing to wash stuff.... Even if it was just the beach towels!!

I could at home or on a relaxed holiday with self-catering or pub/café meals, walking in hills, maybe one smarter outfit for a restaurant.

I wouldn't for more than a week,.though.
One week's clothes could easily be 10x pants (two 5-packs), 2 bras (rinse in sink if needed), swimsuit, 2x trousers, 3 t-shirts, couple long tops and a big fleece, 5x socks, boots, sandals, and a dress or skirt. And a nightshirt to wander about in.

MNers being the germophobic lot they claim to be would probably faint, but wearing the same clothes 3 days running means I could easily drop most of that. I used to manage long weekends with DP with clean pants in one pocket and nick a T-shirt off him if I spilt something on my top.

Absolutely. Without even thinking about it. In fact, I don't have a tumble drier, so if the weather's shit for weeks on end I probably do go a fortnight or more before I have to wash clothes.

No way, I'd have to handwash pants and socks and rewear other clothing, which would work for adults for a bit, but not in hot weather and not for messy DCs at all!

It would be hugely wasteful if everyone had 14 days worth of clothing for any given season...

Not a chance but its due to health issues for me.

I drop a lot of food on myself (co-ordination problems) and I have incontinence problems too so at home on a normal day I go thru several changes of my lower body, full change of bed at least once a day plus bed mats x 2 for each change, towels from twice a day showers as a result of the above plus nightwear.

Then dropping food down my front is 2 tops on a good day but can be 6+ on a bad day.

That's just at home so my washing machine/ dryer runs at least once a day so going away for a few days is tricky as so much packing.

I end up with bags of stuff to the point I stopped going places as it wasn't worth it, trying to keep track of what was for washing/ drying and not losing stuff.

Before these conditions hit, I managed to leave the house and not come home for 10 days with 1 carrier bag and that included toiletries etc, spare shoes etc. I stayed clean and fresh and washed stuff in the sink to dry overnight.

Clothes wise, probably. But only just. However I have to wear compression stockings and wraps for medical reasons and I’m only prescribed two sets due to the cost so I’d have to wash those repeatedly.

It would be hugely wasteful if everyone had 14 days worth of clothing for any given season...

I don't think I agree with this. I'm sure I have enough pants and socks for a fortnight, and am happy to wear a T-shirt for a couple of days, assuming it isn't hot sweaty weather.

Most people I know would have enough clothes.

I would have enough, except for 14 pairs of knickers.

Bottoms can be reused. I have plenty of tops and hoodies. Throw in a few dresses too and done.

Would I be incredibly stylish and beautifully dressed and put together the whole 14 days? Nope. But then again I never am anyways.

I could on holiday. Haven’t dramatically changed size for 20 years so have plenty of casual clothes...bras might have to be rinsed. DH not a problem. DC not a chance for eldest (he’s growing so fast I don’t buy more than a week’s worth), maybe for youngest who could take some stuff he hasn’t quite grown into yet.

We had similar when work went casual a few years ago...I was perplexed at the idea that this meant buying clothing for some of my colleagues until I had it pointed out gently that some people fluctuate in weight.

Yeah we have more than 14 lots of everything if that’s what you mean but Christ, I wouldn’t want to do the catch up!

Yes. Actually I could probably do a month!

Yes. I regularly go 3 to 4 weeks because I don't like going to the laundrette.
The only thing I don't really have enough for is exercise clothes.

Definitely, no problem at all. OP, how many pairs of knickers do you have?! I've got at least 40

I defo have more than 14 pairs of knickers!

You must be very organised with your washing to have fewer. I run out even with that many

It would be pushing us to the limit of some clothing categories. So I'd have to be v organised and do loads of washing before we left.