when packing for TWR feels like the most stressful thing you’ve ever done: ladies, read this.

As I write this, I’m sitting in a hammock in Swaziland looking out at the clothes line.

It’s month 8, and of everything I managed to stuff into my 70-liter pack, only two things on the line started out with me back in September.

I had just a few weeks of my summer to focus on packing for the World Race before I launched in September 2014. For days on end it looked like my room had barfed up sporks and mini travel products.

Before you read any further, I want you to know if you’re packing for the World Race right now (hey, hey July-launchers!) and it feels like your head is going to explode…IT’S OKAY. I promise.

It’s part of the process. It’s beautiful. And you are going to look back on it and laugh.

Your head won’t explode, and you can do this. So the first step of this packing blog is this…

#1. Take a deep breathe. Close your eyes, and pray.

(Did you pray yet? I’m actually serious.)

Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?

#2. Better? Alright. Let’s start with clothes and how to organize them.

I’m looking at the clothing line. Ladies, here’s what I’ve got at month 8. Use it at a guideline if you don’t know where to start.

Tops:
3 short sleeve v-necks (one white, one black, one color)
2 cute tank tops
1 work out racer back tank that doubles as a swim top
1 white cami
1 flowy cute blouse
2 t-shirts (1 sleep, one work out)

Outer Wear:
1 denim button up (purchased for $1.75 in a fruit market in Cambodia. Yes, this happens.)
1 thin tan cardigan
1 very light rain jacket (in my opinion, an umbrella is overkill.)

Dresses/Skirts:
1 knee length dress
1 maxi skirt (pair with a belt at the waist….and what’s that? Oh, a dress!)

Bottoms:
3 pairs of loose, flowy pants
*Black Nike shorts (*can’t Race without* these triple for work out, sleep, and swim!)
Zip off pants to shorts (only worn a few times, but can’t ever seem to toss them…perfect for manual labor and painting!)
1 pair of leggings
1 pair of cute shorts (picked these up in Europe when we could show our knees again)

Unmentionables:
15-20 pairs of undies (What they IS true ladies! Do the Target lace. Nothing dries faster after washing. Pro Tip: Keep a few pairs in your “Open me Month 6” bag and you’ll say “thank you me,” when you hit half way day!)
1 pair of Exficcios. Necessary? No. Were they nice when I went trekking in Nepal? Yes.
1 “normal” nude strap to strapless bra
2 sports bras
2 pairs of socks (1 thin, high pair for chilly nights, 1 for running shoes)

Shoes:
Chacos (adore)
Tan Croc “sexy flips” (*Can’t Race Without* — I know, I know, I didn’t think Cros sounded sexy either…but these double as shower shoes, and my “dress up shoe” because they go with anything. They’re light as a feather and I would recommend them to any girl doing the Race!)
Lightweight, close toed running shoes (trekking, manual labor, adventures, and working out)

Special Accessory:
– Speakeasy travel scarf  (aka how I didn’t loose my passport in the airport…it’s lightweight, cute, and has a hidden zip up pocket. (Also perfect for storing your eye mask, ear plugs and boarding pass.)

Here’s three reasons to not stress about what clothes you pack:

1) There are clothes all over the world. Cooler clothes than the ones you’re stressed about packing right now. And you’re going to want to buy them!
2) All the girls on your team will eventually get sick of their clothes and you’ll all share wardrobes.
3) Two words: Free table. Imagine a table full of everything your squad mates don’t want to carry anymore and imagine being able to take any of it….for free.

Q&A:

Q: Did you stay warm with that stuff?
A: Yes. I had a Patagonia fleece that kept me cozy month 1, but it was huge to carry so I dropped it. In Nepal it was freezing and we all purchased cheap winter clothes for the month and then donated them when we left. Otherwise, a scarf and my denim button up have done the trick!

Q: What if I’m starting in Africa?
A: Pack more maxi skirts.

Q: Can I even wear tank tops?
A: Probably. In Central America. Other places, cling to party cardi.

Q: Swimsuit?
A: I used my tank and Nike shorts the first half. Second half my parents brought out my tankini when they came to visit in South Africa. Tankinis. Rock.

Q: How do I organize it all?
A: Four words: Eagle Creek Packing Cubes.

Do the double-sided, clean-dirty version. I got two large ones (one for tops and one for bottoms). 2 medium ones (one for my day pack, and one for the unmentionables). Get different colors so you can find them easier in your pack!

Q: What about stuff sacks for clothes?
A: Imagine scrunching every article of clothing you own for the year in to a ball and then trying to wear it.

Don’t do it! Avoid the wrinkles, and give yourself more space. Packing cubes fill the space in your pack better than something shaped like a hard ball. Trust me.

My Can’t-Race-Without’s:

– Small travel-sized Bible. My sweet friend Mossy gave me a fresh Bible so throughout the year I could mark up the pages with memories from the Race!
– Memory foam pillow. I ditched the tiny travel pillow! Memory foam rolls up and straps easily to the side of your pack. This is a top priority can’t Race without for me! Include at least two pillow cases to stay fresh. (Doubles as a laundry bag!)
– Black Nike running shorts.
– Nook or Kindle for reading. (I love holding a real book in my hands, but I don’t love the weight of carrying a book. A Kindle for the year does the trick!)
– Charles Schwab debit card (no fees on international ATMS….WORTH IT. Start the process applying for one early and you’ll save a chunk of change. I planned $100 spending money each month. Less, totally do-able. More? Know people who did. Up to you!)
– 11 razor heads
– 3 clear Secret deodorants
– 6-8 months worth of tampons. (You can buy these around the world, depending on your route, I promise!)
– Travel sized bottles for shampoo and conditioner (when you get team conditioner and shampoo, you can fill up,and keep some on hand easily)
– Good pens you love.
– A few stationary cards (notes for contacts, strangers, and squadmates!)
3-4 pairs of ear buds. (Seriously. AT LEAST pack two. They break and get lost easily.)
– Your water bottle of choice.
– EmergenC packets, ONE hand sanitizer to start, ibuprofen, and cortisone cream (teams have first aid kits, but these are good to keep on you. Keep the germs away from the get go and get in a good habit of the hand sani. You’ll quickly discover a lack of soap in bathrooms around the world.)
– A journal to start. (You’ll find cool ones as you go so you don’t need one per month now.)
– Starbucks via packets for a little pick-me-up, and letters from home.

Vague, Random Tips on Gear:

– Synthetic sleeping bag, 40 degree has been sheer perfection for me
– 10 degree sleeping bag liner (get a color you like, this doubles as a huge scarf…just trust me.)
– I invested in a kind of pricey, inflatable, foot pump sleeping pad…and was so glad I did. Please skip online shopping for this one! Find an outdoor store, drive there, and go lay on the thing before you buy it! You want to sleep these 11 months 🙂
– You do not need a camping dish set. Maybe a spork.
– Yes on the thing called an air porter.
– I would strongly recommend a hanging toiletry bag. You don’t want to sit stuff down a lot of places you’re going to find yourself. I had one from LL Bean and don’t know what I’d have done without it.
– Dry lite, fast drying towel. Get the bigger one. It’s still small and light to pack. I had both, and the small one was just…too small. I love how quickly these things dry!

Photographer, videographer?

Please message me if you have more detailed questions, but here’s a starting point:

– I would HIGHLY recommend this soft travel case by Mountainsmith.It’s perfect for a camera body, two lenses, your charger, and accessories
– You’ll want several SD cards
– I planned on video so I took two 1 TB external hard drives (in hard shell cases) and it was the perfect amount of storage space
– For video editing on the field, I bought Final Cut Pro X (personally, my favorite editing software $299 when I purchased it; I also threw in a soft mouse pad and a wireless computer mouse for editing.)

Last but not least, pro packing tip for fundraisers (aka all of us):

I know all of this stuff is expensive. You’re already trying to fundraise the $16,000, get yourself to Launch, and pay for shots and medications. Look into a gift registry site and consider including your gear as part of your support raising! I used MyRegistry.com and friends and family were able to donate tangibly by providing some of my gear needs. Such a sweet gift and way to bring people onto your journey with you.

Future-Racers, I hope this helps!

Certainly, this list isn’t comprehensive. It’s all my opinions based on my personal experiences traveling with my squad, on my route, on my Race.

Your Race, will be your Race. And your pack will be your pack.

You’re going to love it! Don’t stress. There’s nothing to stress about. You’ve said “yes,” to an adventure with your Father. He’s brought you this far; He’s going to help you zip up that huge pack sitting on the floor.

He did for me.

And throughout the year you can bet He’s going to take some things out. Lighten your load. Dust you off. Refine you. Make you new. And send you home with some new treasures. A few in your pack, but most in your heart.

I wish you all luck in the world future-Racers; but if you’ve got Jesus—trust me, you don’t need even it.

Love,

Katy Steele
K-Squad, 3rd Gen
September 2014

P.S. You get better at packing as you go….this was my first time trying when I left home for Launch…and let’s just say, I’m slightly embarrassed to post this photo!

The day I left for training camp!