First. Gather your supplies. You will need:
Sleep Stuff
__Sleeping Bag
__ Pillow
__ Sheet
__ Flashlight
__ Pajamas (see "comfy shorts" section...)
__ iPod/iPhone and/or Kindle, headphones, and chargers.
Work Stuff
__ 2 Pairs of Jeans( Cruddy for Work... I switch off when one pair starts to smell bad!)
__ Belt (your jeans start to fall off by Friday)
__ 1 Pair Work Shoes (Old Gym Shoes)
__ 5 Work Shirts (Cruddy, don’t mind getting paint on or anything)
__ Deodorant
__ Hair Ties, Bandannas, Visor or Hat
__ Sports Bras (I bring 5 or 6... It gets sweaty!)
__ Socks (At least one pair for each work day)
__ Sunscreen
__ Water Bottle
__ Sunglasses and safety glasses!
Cleaning Stuff
__ 1 Pair Shower Flip-Flops
__ 2-3 Swim Suits
__ 2 towels
__ Shampoo, Conditioner, Shaving Cream, Razor, Soap
__ Facial Wash
__ Toothbrush and Toothpaste
__ Contacts, Glasses, Solution, Eye Stuff
__ A Little Bit of Makeup
__ Nailpolish (if you want!)
__ Tampons or Pads
__ Hair Products
__ Blow Dryer
__ Aloe or After Sun Lotion
__ Advil
__ Midol
Relaxing Stuff
__ 2 pairs Flip Flops or Sandals or Nicer Gym Shoes ( for whenever not working)
__ 10-12 tank tops or t-shirts (whatever you want to wear hanging around camp and to the beach or wherever and I wear these to bed!)
__ Normal Bras (2)
__ Underwear (like 2 for each day… 11 or 12)
__ comfy shorts (10-12, again these double as pajamas for me!)
__ Pajama Pants/sweatpants
__ Sweatshirt (Gets Cold at Night/in the morning)
__ Long Sleeved Shirt
Extra Stuff
__Snacks (for car ride and at camp)
__ Money( about $50 probably)
__ Playing Cards(for something to do)
__ Garbage Bag (for dirty clothes)
__ Hangers to dry swimsuit and such on
__ 7 Ziploc bags
**This list has been edited from a list originally made by a mission trip alum. Shout out to Kiki!
Next you will take 5 of your Ziploc bags and put a sports bra, socks, underwear and a shirt in each. This makes it easy when you wake up! Just grab a bag and some jeans and hit the bathroom line! They should each look something like this:
With your sixth Ziploc bag, put in a pair of shorts and a shirt as well as a bathing suit and a fresh pair of socks. This bag is for the day you go to the waterfall. (Usually Thursday). You'll need to throw this Ziploc in your backpack when you go to work that morning and make a quick change at the Dairy Queen.
With your seventh Ziploc bag (the final bag!) put together what you want to wear for the car ride home. If you're going to be short on t-shirts, you will receive a COAP shirt on Friday Night that you could also wear home. Make sure this bag is complete with underwear, bra, etc. Nothing's worse than having to sit in a van for several hours in clothes you wore to the job site earlier that week!
Next, assemble your loungewear. I pack enough shorts and shirts to wear one set to an after work activity, and another set to bed. (I hate sleeping in dirty or sweaty clothes! Ya feel?!) that boils down to 11-12 shorts/shirt combos (do not forget about Sunday night when you get to camp!)
Additionally, you'll want one or two bathing suits (things do not dry quickly in cabins!) your hoodies, sweatpants, underwear, additional bras and things! Don't forget about those! Make sure you put a belt in and place it with your work jeans in your suitcase!
Sheets, towels, etc. go on top! The first thing you'll do when you get to camp is set up your bed! You don't want to dig through your entire wardrobe for those items! Bug spray, extra sunscreen, and flashlight go on top too. These are necessities for your first night/morning!
Don't forget about your toiletries/cleaning stuff! I keep mine in a roll up case like the one pictured below. Pro-tip: have an extra bottle of sunscreen that you keep only in your cosmetics bag. Put on a base layer of sunscreen before you're fully dressed! (This tip is brought to you by the fact that my mother had melanoma... And by the fact that having a bad sunburn can ruin your week!)
Now your backpack. This is what you take on hikes, side trips, and to the job site. I recommend packing an old long sleeved shirt in the bottom of it just in case you're working with insulation or with unidentifiable leaves and brush. Next I pack a rain jacket, sunscreen, bug spray, work gloves, safety glasses, nail belt, hammer (if I remember mine...) sunglasses, my water bottle... Then all the stuff I'd want in easy access for the van rides: charging cords for all my devices, snacks, medication, etc.
Final touches: I tie my shoes to my duffel bag (another pro-tip: I bring my crappiest pair of shoes and then throw them away on Friday after work so I bring home less) add in my sleeping bag, throw anything I forgot (usually my hairbrush and some miscellaneous snacks) into my pillowcase and I'm ready to go!