Marie, a lot depends on how long you will be there (well, duh!) but what I mean is, if you will be gone for longer than about a week, about halfway through you can drop your clothes at an attended launderette and pick them up later, washed, dried and folded.
Consider too, leaving your big bag in the car and carrying your HBAs, jammies and next day's clothes into the accommodation in a tote bag. Many B&Bs have upstairs rooms and this is much easier on your back.

Marie,

Unlike Bit you won't have the problem of traveling with musical instruments...only young daughters who probably think they need 20 pairs of shoes for each outfit!

For Ireland you must think differently. Since you won't be staying in the same place for more than a couple of days no one but you will know that you only brought three outfits (or whatever). Choose a basic color (black is mine since it doesn't show stains). Jazz up the mix-and-match theme with splashes of color like a scarf, blouse, etc. Make sure everything coordinates so you can turn those three outfits into more combinations.

Ireland is casual. Leave the glitzy gold sandles and strapless gowns home. You need sturdy walking shoes (wear some on the plane). Jeans take up a lot of room so you might limit yourselves on how many pairs. Take a look at the packing list in my book for essentials. Don't bring much more than that.

Look at your itinerary and plan on doing laundry on a weekday when you are in a place for two days. That will determine how many days' worth of undies, etc. that you need. You can always wash out a few small items in the sink but B&Bs frown on doing your whole wardrobe like that.

Before the stricter carry-on rules went into place recently, I traveled only with carry-on luggage. I can go to Ireland for months with one roll-on suitcase that fits the airline approved dimensions and one tote that I put on top of the suitcase as I am rolling through airports. And I carry many of my books with me going and lots of brochures and literature coming back.

It sounds like you need a trip to the store to look at new medium-size suitcases.

Michele

Marie,

Glad the map arrived. What size car do you have?

Michele

Marie, Like Michele said take less and just find a laundromat. When i went to Costa Rica I took enough clothes to wear for 5 days and just sent then sent them out to be washed. I was probably a little gamy coming home, but i got to bring back more rum and coffee this way. My rule of thumb on what I take is just take enough for one week and just send them out to be washed. I will be Ireland for 14 days and I am just taking clothes for 5 days.

Marie,

I think that the Toyota Corolla will be large enough if you each take one smal to medium suitcase and one tote.

Michele

Thanks, Michele. Since we'll be there three nights we could do a load each evening and call it done. Appreciate the advice about paying for the use of the machines, also.

Michele:

I assume that when you say one small-med suitcase (each) and one tote each will fit, you mean in the trunk (boot).    We have talked about it and thought perhaps two of us could share one large suitcase, the other could take a small-med one and that would take up even less space.  I certainly do not like to think of Ireland as overrun with thieves hiding in the bushes near all the wonderful sites, waiting to steal my clothes!  Honestly, I am ususally optismistic about things like this, but just noticed a few postings about not having ANYTHING in sight in the car. 

Thanks so much to all, and we are now 8 weeks and a day away from our journey!!

Marie