Pull up a chair and let’s have a conversation about one of the realities of travel that no one seems to ever think about! We’re talking laundry! So many people obsess over what they are putting in their suitcase but we have to say, hardly anyone we talk to mentions what their plan for all those clothes is when they are out and traveling. Our rule of thumb is to consider laundry as soon as you commit to 10 or more days. We get the fact that less than that probably means that you are willing to plan for any sort of refresh of your suitcase with a shorter trip but we do recommend at least knowing where you can go in case you have an emergency.
We are huge believers in the capsule wardrobe concept. Having dedicated travel clothes that work for you whether you travel or not is key to a quality capsule wardrobe and picking clothes that wash easily and provide that wash and fold ability is essential. You can check out more about how to make your own capsule wardrobe by clicking here.
You can consider laundry as part of your European experience by fitting it into your planned itinerary. Our magic day is day seven. Wherever our travels lead us, we find some sort of time for laundry on day seven. Don’t get us wrong! We have no intention of spending an afternoon wasting away in a laundromat! Instead, we work hard to figure out ways to knock out this housekeeping task while still staying engaged with our travels.
In Krakow, the solution is a place called Frania Cafe! A simple cafe with ice cream and lunch for the kids and a full bar of beverages for the adults. All of this is yours WHILE YOU DO LAUNDRY!! Did you hear me?! Additionally, there are a couple of super cute stores on the same street that make hanging around fun. Our favorite way to take care of this? We like to arrange for one of the many ecocart tours to pick us up at our hotel and swing past for a quick drop off somewhere in the middle of the excursion. If we play our cards right, they’ll usually leave us right on Frania’s front door when we finish up.
Amsterdam has three great locations that can assist you at the midpoint in your trip. Our favorite way to get to any of them is to rent bikes and have them include a basket. While you are pedaling around town, you can drop off your clothes at the local wash and fold and continue on your way. With a quick twenty minute stop, you’ve taken care of your chore and you probably had a little fun doing it.
Another good accident preventer is checking in to all of the options that come with your Air B and B. Many great properties either offer machines or know the most convenient laundries in the neighborhood. However, it’s important to note that washer dryer combos that come in most European apartments do not work like American machines. Unventable dryers make it impossible to fully dry clothes. Instead, the dryer option is meant to work as a steam driven wrinkle release where the clothes have to be tended to immediately and hung up to dry. You’ll need more than 24 hours to get everything fully dry.
Simply calling ahead to where you plan to lodge halfway through your trip could easily cut your packing in half. Just a few years ago, we called ahead to a B and B in Western Ireland and inquired. To our delight, the B and B owner’s cousin ran a laundry in town. She picked up our clothes and dropped them all off in one day with so little fuss! It was so helpful.
In Florence, dropping off clothes when arriving is easy as the laundry is just a block away from the main train station. We either pick them up on the way out of town or pay a small five euro fee to have them delivered if we are staying longer. By dropping our clothes before we make our way to our hotel, we’ve made the walk easier by lightening our bags before we even begin.
The reality in Europe is that doing laundry is usually convenient and, with a little research, not too difficult to find. Most hotels have laundry service, even if a bit too pricy, that can get you out of an accidental mess. The bottom line is that a little pre planning can make laundry part of your European experience rather than an issue that holds you back. Accident or not, pre-planning a laundry stop on your travels is always helpful.
