I’m giving it a shot – packed only carry on for one month in Europe and a variety of activities: two barge trips, one river trip, walking, cycling and trying to look decent in the evenings for dinner. Thanks to insights from our readers and from our Facebook group, River Cruise Advisor Crew, I’m carrying what I think will be just enough clothing and a laundry kit that I hope will work on the barges. Here’s what’s in the laundry kit. What did I miss?

• Scrubba wash bag. A lightweight laundry system with a flexible washboard inside a waterproof bag. If all works as advertised—it should let me wash clothes using minimal water and effort. Just add clothes, water, and soap, seal it, and scrub. We’ll see.
• Microfiber towel. The idea is to lay t-shirts flat on the towel, roll it up tightly, and press or twist—helping to absorb excess water before I hang the clothing.
• Travel clothesline. My first attempt didn’t work out—I bought one with hooks, but my accommodations, especially on the barges, lacked secure anchor points. The Sea to Summit clothesline is supposed to solve that: It uses adjustable tensioners and tiny beads to pinch clothes between dual cords, and it attaches with suction cups or loops, making it easy to secure almost anywhere.
• Travel detergent. I’ll use Earth Breeze laundry strips with my Scrubba wash bag. They’re lightweight, non-liquid, and dissolve easily in a small amount of water.
• Tide to Go. I can be messy. Say no more.

On the river cruise, I’ll be fine. Most offer laundry service, reasonably priced and speedy turnarounds. See Laundry Services or Facilities: Which River Cruise Companies Include Them in the Fare?