Holidaymaker sparks debate over how much underwear to pack – here’s how many pairs you should take
A HOLIDAYMAKER has sparked debate about how much underwear is needed on holidays.
Some people always overpack, while others don’t bring enough stuff, and it seems no one can agree on how many pairs of pants they need to take for a trip.
The argument was started by a gynaecologist, who asked her followers on Twitter how many pairs they took with them.
Dr Jennifer Gunter tweeted: “You are planning on a 14 day trip and the opportunity to use a washing machine may be limited, so you are washing things in the sink.
“How many pairs of underwear do you take?”
The tweet has since been viewed close to half a million times, with a lot of varied responses to the question.
One one side of the fence were those who like to be over-prepared in case of any emergencies.
One of those was Tiffany Green, who simply wrote: “30 pairs. I said what I said.”
Another person called Corinne said: “25 but I pack like an absolute menace.”
However, on the other side of the argument were those who liked to pack sparingly.
Included in them was Dr Katherine Schofield, who said: “I only ever take 8-9 pairs no matter how long the trip. Handwash weekly.”
Another said they took even less than that.
Janice Bush wrote: “Nylon undies, no more than 4 for any length trip. Wash in sink every night. Use baby shampoo for detergent, hand soap, body soap, everything. Keep it light.”
To try and get to the right answer, The Washing Post reached out to travel experts to see what they had to say on the matter.
Seth Miller, editor of airline-industry news site PaxEx.aero subscribes to the N+2 formula, which is enough pairs for each day you’re away, plus two in case of emergencies.
He said: “The style, the colour, the material, all those things people feel pretty strongly about for comfort. If you run out during a trip, having to buy something different on the fly is disorienting.
“One pair a day is theoretically enough, but things happen.”
It’s a formula that Ashley Parker, senior national political correspondent for The Washington Post subscribes to as well.
She has spent years on the road covering stories and is well used to having to pack.
She told the Post: “I do not feel emotional about this topic. … I have set and tried and true views. Pack a pair for each day you’re gone, plus an extra pair or two.”
Elsewhere, Daniel Green, who owns travel insurance company Faye and has travelled the world explained his own 1-2-3-4-5-6 rule to avoid overpacking.
He told Business Insider: “Pack one hat, two pairs of shoes, three bottoms, four tops, five pairs of socks, and six pairs of underwear.”
He said this works for both long and short trips – with enough for a week long trip but can be washed if going away for longer.
Apart from the underwear, most things can be reworn and saves having unworn clothes taking up space.
If you want to travel with hand luggage only, travellers swear by this £10 bag that means you will never have to pay to check in a suitcase.
Or this £29 bag is perfect for to store under your seat during a flight.