Kits and Planning · Guide

What to stock: the long shelf life master list

Every item from my Stockpile Essentials checklist, the 33 compounds, and the long-keeping foods, sorted by need, with the real shelf life of each, how to store it, and the products I buy.

Quick facts

Keeps indefinitely: Salt
honey
sugar
vinegar
baking soda
borax
cornstarch
vanilla extract
hard liquor
instant coffee
Decades when sealed: White rice 10 to 30 years, wheat berries up to 30 years, freeze-dried food 25 to 30 years, all in mylar or #10 cans with oxygen absorbers
About a decade: Calcium hypochlorite up to 10 years, iodine 5 to 10 years, canned meat and fish 5 to 10 years, dried beans up to 10 years
Rotate these: Liquid bleach
cooking oil
tallow
peanut butter
batteries
stored gasoline
medicines
high-acid canned food
Water target: 1 gallon per person per day, two weeks minimum, plus a filter and a chemical treatment to make more
Storage conditions: Cool, dark, dry, and sealed. Oxygen absorbers for dried food, desiccant for powders, never both in one container

One master list, sorted by the need each item covers. Every shelf life here is the real, stored-well number from my field guides, which is often longer than the date on the label and sometimes shorter than the internet claims. Each item links to its own page where there is one, and to the exact product I buy where I have a pick.

Water Food staples Cooking and fuel Medical Hygiene and sanitation Compounds Power and light Tools and repair Communication Security Warmth and shelter Garden and livestock Documents, cash and comfort Everyone in the household Bug-out bag Barter Swaps Buy first

How to choose what to stock

Store what you already eatBuy a few extra of the foods your household eats every week, date them, and move the oldest to the front. A stockpile that gets eaten and replaced never expires. Food your family dislikes is wasted money no matter how long it keeps.

Multi-use items firstA dollar spent on salt, pool shock, vinegar, or baking soda covers more needs than a dollar spent on a single-use gadget. Vinegar and baking soda each do five jobs. Buy the things that show up under several needs on this page before anything that shows up once.

Pick the long-life formMost short-lived supplies have a dry or concentrated version that keeps far longer. Calcium hypochlorite instead of liquid bleach, wheat berries instead of flour, white rice instead of brown, electrolyte powder instead of canned drinks. The swaps table below lists the ones worth making.

Store the gear that makes it usableCanned food needs a manual can opener, wheat berries need a grain mill, rice and beans need a stove, fuel, and a pot. Keep that gear next to the food. A shelf of staples with no way to open or cook them is not a food supply.

Cool, dark, dry, sealed, and datedHeat, light, moisture, and air are what shorten shelf life. Hold storage near 50 to 70 degrees F and under 50 percent humidity. Use oxygen absorbers for dried food only and desiccant for powders like salt and baking soda. Write the date on everything and keep a simple inventory.

The master list, by need

Water

Water comes before food. Store one gallon per person per day for at least two weeks, then own a filter and a chemical treatment so you can make more when the stored water runs out.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it	What I buy
Water barrels and jugs	Indefinite	Holds the two-week supply: 55 gallon drums for volume, 5 gallon jugs you can carry. Food-grade only. Clean, sanitize, fill, seal, date. Rotate tap water every 6 to 12 months for taste.
Bottled water	Indefinite if sealed	The longest-keeping stored water, and the easiest to hand out or throw in a vehicle. Cool and dark, away from gasoline, pesticides, and sunlight. The water does not expire, the bottle does.
Calcium hypochlorite (pool shock)	Up to 10 yr	One pound of dry granules disinfects on the order of 10,000 gallons, and it outlasts liquid bleach many times over. Sealed glass or HDPE, bone dry, away from acids and metal. Buy 65 to 70 percent with no algaecides, clarifiers, trichlor, or dichlor.	Calcium Hypochlorite
Gravity or ceramic filter with spare elements		Daily drinking water with no power. Filtration takes out sediment and protozoa, so pair it with a 1 minute rolling boil (3 minutes at high elevation) or chlorine for viruses. Keep spare elements sealed and dry.
Water purification packets and tablets	1 to 2 yrs	Small-batch treatment for a go-bag or a vehicle. One travel packet treats 10 liters in about half an hour. Sealed in the original foil. Use per the label and rotate.	Water purification travel packets
Unscented liquid bleach	1 to 2 yrs	The simple chemical backup: 8 drops per gallon of clear water, 6 drops if the bottle is 8.25 percent, then wait 30 minutes. Cool and dark. It weakens on the shelf, so rotate it yearly.
Iodine (tincture, povidone, or Lugol's)	5 to 10 yrs	Backup water treatment for clear water that doubles as a wound antiseptic. Airtight amber container, cool and dark. Light kills potency.	Iodine
Activated charcoal	Indefinite if dry	Pulls chlorine, tannins, taste, and odor out of treated water. It improves water, it does not make unsafe water safe. Sealed glass jar, away from odors and moisture.
Food-grade hose & siphon	Indefinite	Fill and draw from sealed drums safely.
Rain barrel & diverter	Indefinite	Catch roof water for washing and garden.
Bathtub bladder	Indefinite	Store 80 to 100 gallons fast before a storm.
Collapsible jerry cans	Durable	Fold flat when empty. Haul without permanent bulk.
Stackable water bricks	Durable	Rigid, interlocking storage that stacks in tight space.
Squeeze / straw personal filter	Durable	Point-of-use filter for the go-bag.
Press-bottle purifier	Durable	Fill, press, drink. Removes viruses a straw cannot.
Frame pack & hard water cans	Durable	Haul from a source. Water is ~8.5 lb a gallon.

Go deeperWater: Storage and Purification Water purification methods How water becomes unsafe (contamination risks)How to source, carry, and filter local fresh water Everything in Water

Food staples

Build in three layers: canned food you can eat cold, pantry staples you cook, then sealed bulk that keeps for decades. Round out the plain calories with protein, fat, and flavor, or the rice and beans will sit uneaten.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it	What I buy
White rice	10 to 30 years	The cheapest calorie backbone there is, and it cooks with only water and heat. Skip brown rice, the oil in it goes rancid. Mylar with oxygen absorbers, then into a bucket, kept cool.	Long Grain White Rice
Hard white wheat berries	Up to 30 years	Whole grain that grinds into fresh flour on demand and can also be sprouted. Mylar with oxygen absorbers, cool.	Hard White Wheat Berries
Hand-crank grain mill		You cannot eat bulk wheat without one.
Mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and food-grade buckets		Turns a 2 year bag of rice or beans into decades of storage. Keep unused absorbers sealed airtight. They are spent once exposed to air.
Dried beans and lentils	Up to 10 years	Cheap protein and fiber that pairs with rice to make a complete meal. Airtight and cool. Lentils run closer to 5 years. Very old beans stay hard after cooking.	Augason Farms Black Beans
Pasta and oats	2 to 3 years	Fast, familiar carbohydrates for the pantry layer. Airtight. Watch for pests and a musty or rancid smell.
Dehydrated potato flakes		A hot, filling side from nothing but boiled water, and a thickener for soups. Sealed and dry.	Dehydrated Potato Flakes
Salt	Indefinite	Seasoning, curing, brining, and electrolytes. The body cannot go without it. Airtight container. No oxygen absorber.	Ancient Sea Salt
Raw honey	Indefinite sealed	A sweetener that never spoils, soothes a cough, and preserves dried food. Sealed glass or HDPE, away from moisture and direct heat. Crystallized honey is fine, warm it gently.	Raw Honey, 5 lb
Sugar	Indefinite	Baking, canning, fruit preserving, and morale. Airtight and dry. Hardened sugar is still good.
Sugar and honey powder		A dry, no-mess sweetener in a sealed steel can for baking and drinks. Keep the can sealed until needed.	Augason Farms Sugar & Honey Powder
Canned meat and fish (tuna, chicken, salmon)	5 to 10 yr	Shelf-stable protein that needs no cooking and no water. Cool and dry. Toss any can that bulges, leaks, or spurts.
Canned beef	5 to 10 years	Pre-cooked beef with only beef and sea salt in the can. Cool and dry.	Canned Beef
Sardines	5 to 10 years	Protein, fat, and omega-3s in a can that fits a pocket. Cool and dry.	Sardines
Canned beans	5 to 10 years	Ready-to-eat protein with no soaking and no fuel. Cool and dry.
Canned vegetables	3 to 5 years	Vitamins and variety, ready to eat, and the liquid counts as water. Cool and off the floor.	Canned Corn
Canned fruit and tomato products	2 to 5 years	Vitamin C and flavor for a stored diet that lacks both. High-acid cans are at their best in the first 12 to 18 months, so rotate these first.
Canned soups, stews, and chili	5 to 10 years	A full hot meal with a can opener and a burner. Cool and dry.
Freeze-dried meals, fruit, and vegetables	25 to 30 years	The longest-keeping prepared food, very light, ready with hot water. Sealed #10 can or mylar with an oxygen absorber. Check for punctures.
Emergency ration bars		Dense, no-prep calories made for kits and vehicles, where a protein bar goes stale in a year or two. Leave the vacuum pack sealed.	SOS Food Ration Bars
MREs and ready-to-eat pouches	Around 3 to 5 years	A complete meal with its own heater and no cooking. Heat shortens their life fast. Keep them cool.
Powdered milk	2 to 10 years	Calcium and protein for drinking, baking, and coffee with no refrigeration. Airtight and cool. Sealed cans last toward the long end.	Nutrient Survival Vitamin Milk
Powdered eggs	5+ yrs	Real eggs for baking and breakfast, about 70 eggs to a can. Sealed can, cool and dry.	Powdered Eggs
Powdered butter		Butter flavor for baking and potatoes when the fridge is off. Sealed can, cool and dry.	Powdered Butter
Beef tallow	1 to 2 yrs; 2 to 3 years frozen	The most calories per pound you can store, plus soap, candles, cast iron seasoning, and skin balm. Airtight jars or vacuum bags, cool and dark. Freeze for the longest life. A sour smell means toss it.	South Chicago Packing Wagyu Beef Tallow
Ghee		Clarified butter with the milk solids removed, so it sits on a shelf unopened without refrigeration. Sealed, cool, and dark. Smell it before use like any fat.	Ghee
Cooking oil and coconut oil	1 to 2 yr; coconut oil 5 years	Fat is what a rice and beans diet is missing. Coconut oil is the long keeper of the bottled oils. Cool and dark. Rancid oil has a sharp, stale smell.
Peanut butter	2 to 3 years	Dense calories, fat, and protein with no prep. Cool and sealed. Rotate.
Instant coffee	Indefinite	Caffeine with no equipment. Morale is a ration. Airtight. Flavor fades, safety does not.	Instant Coffee
Spices and bouillon	Indefinite	Makes plain calories worth eating day after day. Airtight and dark. They stay safe but lose strength, so buy whole spices where you can.
Pure vanilla extract	Indefinite	A baking staple that never goes off and trades well. Capped, cool, and dark.
Baking soda	Indefinite	Leavening, antacid, scrub, deodorizer, and it smothers a small grease fire. Sealed HDPE or glass, dry. As leavening it needs an acid such as vinegar or cream of tartar.	Baking Soda
Cornstarch	Indefinite	Thickens sauces and gravy, stands in for part of the flour in baking. Airtight container.	Corn Starch
Cream of tartar	Indefinite	The dry acid that turns baking soda into baking powder. Sealed and dry.	Cream of Tartar
White vinegar (5 percent)	Indefinite	Pickling, cleaning, descaling, and weed control from one cheap jug. Sealed glass or HDPE. Not in metal.	White Vinegar
Sourdough starter and yeast	Rotate	A fed starter leavens bread from stored wheat forever, with no commercial yeast. Keep the dried culture sealed. Once active, feed it.	Sourdough Starter
Multivitamins and vitamin C	Rotate	Covers the gaps a stored diet leaves. Cool, dry, and dark.
Creatine Monohydrate	10 or more years sealed	The label says 2 to 3 years (best to by). Stored well it keeps 10+ years sealed. Airtight + desiccant. Watch for: ammonia smell, hard clumps.
Canned Pumpkin	2 to 5 years	The label says 1 to 2 years. Stored well it keeps 2 to 5 years.
Dark Chocolate	4 to 5 years	The label says 2 years. Stored well it keeps 4 to 5 years. Cool, dark. Watch for: off smell (bloom is safe).
Beef Jerky	2 years	The label says 1 year. Stored well it keeps 2 years. Cool, dry. Watch for: mold, off smell.
Maple Syrup	Indefinite	The label says 1 year. Stored well it keeps indefinite. Cool, dark. Watch for: mold (refrigerate opened).
Soy Sauce	Indefinite	The label says 2 to 3 years. Stored well it keeps indefinite.
Corn Syrup	Indefinite	The label says 2 to 3 years. Stored well it keeps indefinite.
Crackers, granola & trail mix	1 to 2 years	Grab-and-go carbohydrate.
Pemmican	5 or more years	Rendered fat and dried meat. Dense trail calories.
TVP (textured protein)	10 or more years	Cheap protein that stretches any meal.
Sprouting seeds	5 or more years	Fresh greens and vitamin C in days, indoors.

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Cooking and fuel

Stored food is only a meal once you can open it and heat it. Keep a stove, deep fuel, and three ways to make fire.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it	What I buy
Camp stove (propane or butane)		Cooks and boils water when the power and the gas are both out. Test it once a year with the fuel you store.
Propane and stove fuel canisters	Indefinite	Sealed fuel does not spoil like food, and propane also runs heaters, grills, and generators. Upright, outdoors or in a ventilated shed, away from heat. Keep spare hoses and o-rings, those age first.
Manual can openers		A shelf of cans is stuck without one. Keep two.
Cast iron pan, Dutch oven, and a pot		Cooks on a burner, a wood stove, or a campfire, and lasts for generations. Keep cast iron seasoned with tallow.
Stormproof matches and lighters	Indefinite	The fastest fire there is. Keep dry in a sealed bag, and keep many.
Ferro rod and tinder	Indefinite	A striker that works wet and never runs out of fuel. Cotton balls with petroleum jelly make reliable tinder.
Torch lighter		Lights damp kindling and a wood stove faster than a match. Store spare fuel for it.	Survival Torch
Seasoned firewood and kindling		Heat and cooking with no fuel to buy. Split, stacked off the ground, and covered on top.
Battery carbon monoxide detector	Rotate	Any flame indoors needs one. Use only heaters and stoves rated for indoor use, with cross-ventilation, while you are awake. Grills and generators stay outside. Replace batteries on a schedule and the unit at its end date.
Mess kit & utensils	Durable	Eat and cook with what you carry.
Paraffin / beeswax firestarters	Indefinite	Waterproof, long-burning ignition.
Fire extinguisher (ABC)	Rotate	One per floor and the kitchen.

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Medical

Stock to stop bleeding, clean and cover a wound, replace lost fluid, and keep daily medicines from running out. Sterile supplies and medicines carry real dates, so write the date on the kit and refresh it yearly.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it	What I buy
Trauma kit: tourniquet, hemostatic gauze, pressure dressing	5+ yrs	Stops a heavy bleed in the minutes that matter. Train with the tourniquet before you need it. Sealed, out of heat.
Gauze, pads, roller bandages, and medical tape	5+ yrs	Direct pressure and wound cover for everything short of a tourniquet. Add elastic wrap for sprains. Sealed and dry.
Adhesive bandages and wound-closure strips	5+ yrs	Everyday cuts and blisters, and a clean cut closed without stitches.
Nitrile gloves		Protects you while you treat, and holds up in storage and against chemicals better than latex or rubber. In the box, out of sun and heat.	Nitrile Gloves
Iodine for wound care	5 to 10 yrs	Disinfects cuts and the skin around them, and backs up water treatment. Amber container, airtight, cool and dark.	Iodine
Isopropyl alcohol (70 percent)	5 to 10+ yr sealed	Disinfects skin, tools, and surfaces. Sealed, away from flame. It weakens once opened.
Raw honey for dressings	Indefinite sealed	A dressing for shallow wounds and minor burns, and a cough soother. Keep a jar for the kit that no spoon goes into.	Raw, unprocessed honey
Electrolyte powder	7 to 10 years sealed	Replaces what heat and hard work sweat out. Not a rehydration drink for diarrhea or vomiting, which need an oral rehydration solution with glucose. Airtight, cool, and dry.	Cardnl Essential Electrolytes
OTC pain, allergy, antacid, and anti-diarrheal medicines	Rotate	The everyday medicine cabinet, bought deep. Cool, dry, and dark in the original packaging.
90-day prescription supply and personal devices	Rotate	The first thing people run out of. Include inhalers, epinephrine, glucose strips, and spare glasses. Ask your provider for a 90-day fill and do not run to empty.
Cayenne pepper	5+ yrs	The base for a warming pain salve, plus seasoning and a pest deterrent. Vacuum-sealed or airtight glass, cool and dark. Old cayenne is milder, not harmful.
White willow bark		A traditional pain and fever herb that carries natural salicin. Skip it with an aspirin allergy or blood thinners, and never give it to children or teens with a viral illness. Airtight and dark. Dried herbs keep but lose strength.	White Willow Bark
Chest seal	5 or more years	For a penetrating chest wound.
Trauma shears & gloves	Durable	Access the wound and protect yourself.
Burn gel & blister care	1 to 2 years	Common shop and outdoor injuries.
Antibiotics (via a provider)	Rotate	Emergency kits exist. Use with guidance.
Thermometer & basic tools	Durable	Assess before you treat.
Boric acid	Indefinite	Antiseptic, eye wash, and foot soak.
Dried herbal remedies	Indefinite	Learn a few well. Be certain on the ID.
Broad-spectrum penicillin	Rotate	Respiratory, skin, and dental infections.
Macrolide (atypical coverage)	Rotate	Chest infections and short-course needs.
Fluoroquinolone	Rotate	Gut, urinary, and gram-negative infections.
Doxycycline (tetracycline)	Rotate	Tick-borne illness and broad backup. Long shelf life.
Metronidazole	Rotate	Anaerobic and protozoal gut infections.
Influenza antiviral	Rotate	Shortens the flu when started early.
Antiviral for herpes-family outbreaks	Rotate	Cold sores, shingles, and flares.
Systemic antifungal	Rotate	Fungal infection a cream will not reach.
Antiparasitic / antimalarial	Rotate	Worms, and malaria coverage where relevant.
Epinephrine auto-injector	Rotate	Reverses anaphylaxis. Nothing else substitutes.
Naloxone nasal spray	Rotate	Reverses an opioid overdose in minutes.
Rescue inhaler (bronchodilator)	Rotate	Opens the airway in an asthma attack.
Anti-nausea (antiemetic)	Rotate	Stops the vomiting that drives dehydration.
Steroid / prescription anti-inflammatory	Rotate	Severe swelling and allergic flares.
Silver sulfadiazine burn cream	Rotate	Prevents infection in a serious burn.
Antibiotic eye & ear drops	Rotate	Infections that spread fast without them.

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Hygiene and sanitation

When water and sewer stop, disease comes from dirty hands and uncontained waste. Most of what prevents it keeps indefinitely and costs very little.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it	What I buy
Castile soap	Indefinite sealed	One concentrated soap for body, dishes, and laundry. Sealed bottle. Once diluted it only keeps for weeks.
Bar soap and laundry bar soap	Indefinite	Hand washing is the cheapest disease control there is. Laundry bars cut grease and wash off poison ivy oil. Dry and unwrapped bars harden and last longer in use.
Baking soda for teeth and odor	Indefinite	Tooth powder, deodorant, and scrub that outlasts any tube of toothpaste. Sealed and dry.	Baking Soda
Toothbrushes and floss		A dental problem with no dentist is a serious problem.
Petroleum jelly	Indefinite	Lip and skin barrier, a wound cover under a bandage, rust protection, and fire starter with a cotton ball. Any sealed container, away from flame.	Vaseline
Beef tallow for skin and lips	1 to 2 yrs; 2 to 3 years frozen	A natural balm for dry, cracked skin, and the fat for making soap with lye. Small airtight jar, cool and dark. Freeze the rest.	South Chicago Packing Wagyu Beef Tallow
Toilet paper, body wipes, and hand sanitizer	1 to 2 yrs	Cleans up with little or no water. Paper keeps indefinitely, wipes and sanitizer dry out. Keep paper dry and off the floor.
Feminine and family supplies	Indefinite	Pads, tampons, cups, diapers. Stock a deep, personal reserve, because nothing substitutes well. Dry and sealed.
Bucket toilet, liners, and cover material	Indefinite	A no-water toilet for when the sewer or septic pump stops. Sawdust or peat controls odor. Nest the seat, liners, and a bag of cover material inside the bucket.
Contractor trash bags		Contains and hauls waste when pickup stops.
Toothbrush & shampoo bar	Durable	Long-lasting personal care.
Bucket toilet & snap-on seat	Durable	A no-water emergency toilet.
Hydrated lime	Indefinite	Treat waste and odor in a pit or bin.
Gloves & cleaning cloths	Durable	Clean without spreading germs.

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Compounds

A short shelf of dry chemicals replaces a cabinet of branded cleaners that expire. Vinegar, baking soda, and pool shock are listed above. These fill in the rest.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it	What I buy
Sea salt, unrefined	Indefinite	Beyond the kitchen: saline rinse, gargle, curing, brining, and pest control. Airtight container.	Sea salt
Borax	Indefinite	Laundry booster, cleaner, mold control, and ant and roach bait. It outlasts any liquid detergent. Sealed plastic or glass. Keep from kids and pets.
Washing soda	Indefinite	The stronger alkaline cleaner for laundry, grease, and drains. Airtight with desiccant. Wear gloves, and keep it off aluminum.
Citric acid	Indefinite	Cuts rust, scale, and hard-water film, and acidifies food for canning. Airtight glass or plastic.
Diatomaceous earth, food grade	Indefinite	Non-toxic insect control for the house, the garden, and stored grain. Sealed bucket or jar. Food grade only, and wear a dust mask when applying.
High-proof grain alcohol (ethanol)	Indefinite	Disinfectant at about 70 percent, tincture base, solvent, and clean-burning fuel. Buy 190 proof, since you can weaken it but never strengthen it. Sealed glass or metal, away from flame.
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C powder)	5 to 10 years	A daily vitamin C source that also takes the chlorine taste out of treated water, a pinch per gallon. Sealed with desiccant, away from air, light, and heat.
Beeswax	Indefinite	Candles, waterproofing, salve. Sealed container.
Bentonite Clay	Indefinite	Poultice, water settling aid. Sealed container.
Boric Acid	Indefinite	Pest control, eye wash, fungal. Sealed container.
Calcium Hydroxide	Indefinite	Soil, sanitation, egg preserving. Sealed container.
Camphor	Indefinite sealed	Pain relief, pest block. Airtight jar or tin.
Epsom Salt	Indefinite	Soaking, laxative, fertilizer. Sealed container.
Glycerin	Indefinite	First aid, soap making. Glass or plastic bottle.
Hydrogen Peroxide 3%	1 to 3 years	Around wounds, surfaces, tools. Opaque bottle, cool.
Lye (Sodium Hydroxide)	Indefinite	Soap making, drain cleaning. Sealed, never aluminum.
Paraffin Wax	Indefinite	Candles, seals, fire starters. Sealed container.
Potassium Nitrate	Indefinite	Meat curing, fertilizer. Sealed, cool.
Potassium Permanganate	Indefinite	Water pre-treatment, wound care. Amber glass, sealed.
Sodium Nitrate	Indefinite	Meat curing, fertilizer. Sealed, cool.
Sulfur	Indefinite	Fungicide, skin, pest control. Sealed, ventilated.

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Power and light

Light first, then a way to keep phones, radios, and medical devices charged. The durable gear lasts for years. The batteries and the fuel are what you rotate.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Flashlights and headlamps		A headlamp keeps both hands free for the repair. One light per person plus a spare. Store with batteries out, or check them twice a year for leaks.
Batteries, all sizes, plus rechargeables	Rotate	Every light, radio, and detector on this page runs on them. Cool and dry in the original packs. Match sizes to the gear you own.
Oil lamps and lamp oil	Indefinite	No-battery light that stores forever. Stock spare wicks and chimneys, the small parts that fail.
Long-burn candles	Indefinite	Simple backup light and a little heat. Cool, so they do not slump. Never leave one burning unattended.
Portable power station		Silent indoor power for lights, phones, a CPAP, or a small fridge. Top it off every few months.
Folding solar panel		Recharges the power station with no grid and no fuel.
Generator fuel with stabilizer	Rotate	A generator covers the big loads, but only as long as the fuel holds out. Run it outdoors only. Approved cans, stabilizer added, away from the house. Rotate it through your vehicles.
Power banks	Durable	Pocket power for phones and lights.
12V inverter & adapters	Durable	Run AC gear off a battery or vehicle.
Cordless-tool battery inverter	Durable	Turn tool batteries you own into backup power.
Lantern & area light	Durable	Light a whole room.
Candles & firestarters	Indefinite	Simple backup light and ignition.

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Tools and repair

When no one is coming to fix it, you fix it. Hand tools last a lifetime, and the consumables that hold things together are cheap and mostly keep forever.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Multi-tool and a fixed-blade knife		The two tools you reach for most. Keep a sharpening stone with them.
Hand tool set		Screwdrivers, pliers, locking pliers, adjustable wrenches, hammer, handsaw, hacksaw, tape measure, level, and utility knife. No power needed. Dry, lightly oiled.
Assorted screws, bolts, and nails	Indefinite	A graduated fastener bin fixes most things that break. Dry and sorted so you can find the size.
Duct and Gorilla tape	Indefinite	A hundred field fixes, from a torn tarp to a split hose. Out of heat so the adhesive holds.
Zip ties, paracord, baling wire, and hose clamps	Indefinite	Bundle, lash, hang, and hold almost anything, and clamp a split hose or line.
Super glue and two-part epoxy	1 to 2 yrs	Fast repairs and structural ones. Buy small tubes and rotate. Opened glue dies quickly.
Folding saw & hatchet	Durable	Process wood and clear debris.
Sharpening stone & file	Durable	A dull blade is dangerous and useless.
Fishing kit & snare wire	Durable	Pull food from water and field.
Axe & splitting maul	Durable	Fell, limb, and split firewood.
Thread locker	1 to 2 years	Keeps bolts from vibrating loose.
Silicone & construction adhesive	1 to 2 years	Seal and mount.

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Communication

You need one way to hear what is happening and one way to reach your own people when cell service is down.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Hand-crank AM/FM/NOAA radio		Weather alerts and news with no grid and no batteries. Crank and test it twice a year.
GMRS handheld radios		Family and property comms for miles, farther through a repeater. One license covers the household. Keep them charged and program the family channel now.
FRS walkie-talkies		No license, under a mile, good enough for around the house and for kids.
Notepad and printed frequency list	Indefinite	Channels, call times, phone numbers, and meeting points on paper. Written plans beat dead phones. In a zip bag with the radios.
Citizens-band (CB) radio	Durable	A few miles vehicle to vehicle, no license.
LoRa mesh text device	Durable	Off-grid group text and GPS, no subscription.
Amateur (ham) radio	Durable	Town to worldwide. Needs an exam and license.
Spare & high-gain antennas	Durable	The cheapest way to add real range.
Two-way satellite messenger	Durable	Text and SOS anywhere with a clear sky.
Portable satellite internet	Durable	A Starlink-type dish. Email and weather, grid down.
Cell signal booster	Durable	Amplifies a faint signal. Cannot create one.
Unlocked backup phone	Durable	A second carrier, and a spare if a phone dies.

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Security

Deterrence first, then the means to protect the household and put meat on the table. Follow your local law, train with what you own, and lock it up.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Firearm you have trained with		Defense and hunting. A .22 and a centerfire rifle cover small and large game. Locked, with a cleaning kit, spare magazines, and springs.
Ammunition in the calibers you own		Stored cool and dry it stays reliable for a long time, and it is hard to find the week you need it. Sealed ammo cans with desiccant, stable temperature. Log it and shoot the oldest first.
Bow and arrows		Quiet hunting with ammunition you can recover and reuse. Unstrung or relaxed, out of heat. Keep spare strings and points.
Bear and pepper spray	Rotate	A less-lethal option that is legal most places. Replace at the printed date. Heat ruins it.
Locks & door reinforcement	Durable	Slow an entry, buy time and noise.
Motion lights & alarms	Durable	Light and noise turn most people away.
Window film & bars	Durable	Make the easy way in hard.
A dog	Durable	The best early-warning system there is.
Optic, light & batteries	Rotate	See and identify the threat.
Whistle & air horn	Durable	Signal and deter without a weapon.
Drone with camera	Durable	Scout the property and spot trouble from the air.
Binoculars or monocular	Durable	See trouble before it arrives.
Half-mask respirator & filters	Rotate	Smoke, dust, and particulates when you move.

Go deeperTwo-rifle starter setup (.308 Win and .22LR) with case Ammunition storage for long shelf life Ammunition by caliber (.22LR to .308)Home emergency readiness (power, water, comms, security)Everything in Security

Warmth and shelter

Cold kills faster than hunger. These are the layers, the means to close off a room, and a safe way to add heat. Open the full page.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Wool blankets & sleeping bags	Durable	Warmth that works when wet.
Wool base layers & socks	Durable	Keep a dry spare set back.
Hats, gloves & balaclava	Durable	Most heat is lost at the head and hands.
Emergency mylar blankets	Indefinite	Reflect body heat. Pack many.
Tent, bivy or bag	Durable	A shelter you can carry.
Plastic sheeting & tape	Indefinite	Seal a room and cover broken glass.

Garden and livestock

Seed you can save, the tools to grow it, and what the animals need. Open the full page.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Drip line & fittings	Durable	Keep water on crops with little labor.
Row cover, netting & fence	Durable	Keep deer, birds, and frost off.
Pickling lime (egg preserving)	Indefinite	Water-glass eggs for many months.
Feed, minerals & electrolytes	Rotate	Keep animals fed and hydrated.
Basic vet & first-aid supplies	Rotate	Treat stock without a vet on call.

Documents, cash and comfort

The papers, the cash, and the small comforts that carry a household through a bad week. Open the full page.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Copies of IDs & insurance	Indefinite	Passports, licenses, and policies.
Medical & Rx records	Indefinite	Conditions, doses, and allergies.
Deeds, titles & contacts	Indefinite	Property papers and an emergency contact.
Encrypted USB backup	Durable	A digital copy of it all, off the cloud.
Bug-out bag + route	Durable	Packed, with a destination and two ways there.
Printed maps & compass	Indefinite	Navigate when the phone is dead.
Comfort foods & treats	1 to 2 years	Normalcy in a hard week.

Everyone in the household

The needs a general list misses: infants, elders, medical devices, and animals. Open the full page.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Formula, bottles & baby food	Rotate	A deep, rotated supply. Hard to substitute.
Comfort items & quiet toys	Durable	Calm children are safer children.
Mobility aids & spare parts	Durable	Canes, walkers, wheelchair tubes and tires.
Spare glasses & hearing batteries	Rotate	The small parts that isolate someone fast.
Incontinence & skin care	Durable	A deep supply, plus barrier cream.
Easy-open, soft foods	5 or more years	Nutrition that needs no strength to prepare.
Insulin cooling (cooler, packs)	Durable	Keep temperature-sensitive meds viable.
Oxygen & dialysis plan	Rotate	Know your backup and your evacuation trigger.
Glucose monitor & test strips	Rotate	Consumables that run out fast.
Pet meds, records & carrier	Rotate	Vaccination papers travel with the animal.
Litter, waste bags & leash	Durable	Sanitation and control in tight quarters.

Bug-out bag

One packed bag per person, ready by the door. Open the full page.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Waterproof roll-top pack	Durable	If the bag fails, all of it fails. Start here.
Chest rig or sling for quick access	Durable	A light, a knife, and a radio within reach.
Squeeze filter bottle + tablets	Durable	Drink from any source you pass.
Flashlight, headlamp & power bank	Durable	Hands-free light and a charge for the phone.
Tarp, blanket, hammock & bags	Durable	Shelter and warmth; bags for water or waste.
First-aid + trauma kit	5 or more years	A tourniquet and the basics to stop a bleed.
Wool hat, socks, gloves & hygiene	Durable	Dry warmth and a small wash kit.
Copies of IDs & a paper map	Indefinite	Identity and a route that needs no battery.

Barter

The best barter goods are small, keep indefinitely, and are things you would use yourself anyway. Trade from a small visible stock and never show what you have in depth.

Item	Shelf life	Why, and how to store it
Hard liquor	Indefinite	Holds its value, divides into small trades, and doubles as a tincture base, solvent, and fire starter. Sealed and upright. Small bottles trade better than large ones.
Ammunition in common calibers		In demand even if you do not own the firearm it fits. Stick to the common calibers. Sealed ammo cans, cool and dry.
Cash in small bills	Indefinite	Card readers and ATMs go down first, and nobody makes change. About $300 in ones, fives, and twenties is a sound start. Split between the house and the go-bag.
Silver rounds and coins	Indefinite	A hedge and a trade good if cash loses value. Small denominations, stored quietly.
Heirloom, open-pollinated seed	5+ yrs	In a long emergency the ability to grow food is worth more than the food. Cool, dry, and sealed.
Extra everyday consumables		Salt, spices, coffee, lighters, soap, toilet paper, batteries, bandages, and OTC medicine are what people run out of first. Buy one extra each trip and keep trade stock apart from your own.

Go deeperBarter items to stock Prepare for rising prices and tariffs Books for self-reliance (print reference library)Everything in Kits and Planning

Short shelf life swaps

Some everyday products die on the shelf. Each of these has a longer lasting stand-in.

Instead of	Stock	Why
Liquid bleach	Calcium hypochlorite (pool shock)	Bleach weakens in the jug and needs rotating every year. Dry calcium hypochlorite keeps up to 10 years and mixes into a chlorine solution for water and surfaces on demand.
Hydrogen peroxide	Iodine	Peroxide keeps 1 to 3 years sealed and about 6 months at full strength once opened, and it belongs around a wound, not in it. Iodine keeps 5 to 10 years in amber glass and also treats water.
Antibiotic ointment (Neosporin)	Iodine to clean, petroleum jelly to cover	Clean the wound and the skin around it, then a thin layer of plain petroleum jelly under a bandage keeps it moist and protected. Petroleum jelly keeps indefinitely, and neomycin and bacitracin are common causes of allergic skin reactions.
Olive and vegetable oil	Coconut oil, ghee, and beef tallow	Bottled cooking oil goes rancid in 1 to 2 years. Coconut oil keeps about 5 years, and tallow keeps 1 to 2 years on the shelf or 2 to 3 in the freezer. Still keep some everyday oil and rotate it.
Canned tomatoes and fruit as the long-term plan	Freeze-dried fruit and vegetables, or glass jars	High-acid cans are at their best for 12 to 18 months and are safe for roughly 2 to 5 years, because the acid works on the can. Freeze-dried keeps 25 to 30 years sealed, and glass does not corrode.
Protein bars	Freeze-dried meals and emergency ration bars	Protein bars go stale or rancid in a year or two. Ration bars are vacuum packed for kits and vehicles, and freeze-dried meals keep for decades.
Flour	Hard white wheat berries and a grain mill	The whole berry protects itself. Sealed in mylar with oxygen absorbers it keeps up to 30 years, and you grind only what you need that week.
Canned soda and sports drinks	Electrolyte powder	Soda goes flat within a year and does nothing for dehydration. Sealed electrolyte powder keeps 7 to 10 years and takes almost no space.
Latex or rubber gloves	Nitrile gloves	Rubber turns brittle in a few years. Nitrile holds up longer in the box and stands up to chemicals. Use heavy nitrile or butyl, not thin disposables, for lye and pool shock.
Commercial pain relief creams	Cayenne pepper, plus white willow bark	Creams fade in 1 to 2 years. Cayenne keeps 5+ years and makes a warming salve with tallow or oil. Willow bark is a separate tool, taken as a tea or tincture for pain and fever, not rubbed on.
Toothpaste	Baking soda	A tube dries out in a year or two. Baking soda keeps indefinitely and cleans teeth, with a dozen other jobs besides.
Lip balm	Petroleum jelly or beef tallow	Petroleum jelly keeps indefinitely and seals lips and skin. Tallow is the natural option at 1 to 2 years, longer frozen.
Liquid laundry detergent	Borax and washing soda	Liquid detergent separates and weakens in 12 to 18 months. Both powders keep indefinitely when dry and also handle general cleaning.

What to buy first

Water containers, a gravity filter, and enough stored water for two weeks at 1 gallon per person per day.
One bag of calcium hypochlorite (pool shock) with no additives. A few dollars treats thousands of gallons.
Two weeks of canned and dry food you already eat, plus two manual can openers.
A single-burner camp stove, several fuel canisters, lighters, and stormproof matches.
A flashlight and headlamp for each person, spare batteries, and a battery carbon monoxide detector.
A real first-aid and trauma kit, iodine, and a 90-day supply of daily medicines.
Salt, honey, white vinegar, baking soda, and a rotated bottle of cooking oil. All cheap, all multi-use.
A fastener bin, duct tape, and a multi-tool. Then start on sealed bulk: white rice and wheat berries in mylar.

For the order to build the whole plan in, see Start here. To find your gaps before you spend, run the walk-around audit. The full checklist lives in the Stockpile Essentials Field Guide, and every shelf life on this page comes from the shelf life table.

Questions this answers

Tap a question for the short answer.

What foods last the longest in storage

Salt, sugar, honey, white vinegar, vanilla extract, and instant coffee keep indefinitely when sealed and dry. Freeze-dried food keeps 25 to 30 years in a sealed #10 can. White rice keeps 10 to 30 years and wheat berries up to 30 years when packed in mylar with oxygen absorbers and stored cool.

What should I stock up on first for an emergency

Water and a way to make more: containers, a filter, and pool shock. Then two weeks of food you already eat, a camp stove with fuel, lights and batteries, a real first-aid kit, and your daily medicines. After that, add the cheap multi-use staples: salt, honey, vinegar, and baking soda.

How long does white rice last in storage

White rice keeps 10 to 30 years sealed in mylar with oxygen absorbers and stored cool. In the store bag on a pantry shelf it keeps far less and is open to pests. Brown rice is different: the oil in the bran goes rancid, so do not store it long term.

Does honey ever go bad

Sealed and dry, honey keeps indefinitely. Its very low water content and mild acidity stop microbes from growing. Crystallized honey has not spoiled, and gentle warming turns it liquid again. Keep water out of the jar, since moisture is the one thing that lets honey ferment.

How long does bleach last and what should I store instead

Liquid bleach loses strength on the shelf, so treat it as a 1 to 2 year item and rotate it yearly. For long-term storage, keep calcium hypochlorite instead. The dry granules keep up to 10 years sealed and dry, and they mix into a chlorine solution for water and surfaces.

Is pool shock safe for drinking water

Yes, when it is plain calcium hypochlorite at 65 to 70 percent with no algaecides, clarifiers, trichlor, or dichlor. You mix a stock solution first, then add a small measure of that stock to each gallon and wait 30 minutes. The calcium hypochlorite page has the exact method.

Does iodine expire

Yes. Iodine keeps about 5 to 10 years in a sealed amber container stored cool and dark. Air and light weaken it over time. Old iodine is weaker, not harmful, and a pale color in the bottle tells you the strength is dropping. Rotate it like anything else with a date.

How long does canned food really last

Longer than the label. Stored cool and dry, canned meat, fish, beans, and soups keep 5 to 10 years, and canned vegetables 3 to 5 years. High-acid cans like tomatoes and fruit run 2 to 5 years and taste best in the first 12 to 18 months. Throw out any can that bulges, leaks, rusts through, or spurts.

Can I use vodka or whiskey to disinfect a wound

Not reliably. Alcohol kills germs at 60 to 90 percent, and 80 proof liquor is only 40 percent. For disinfecting, stock 70 percent isopropyl or 190 proof grain alcohol you can dilute to about 70 percent. Keep the hard liquor for barter, tinctures, and morale.

How much water should I store per person

One gallon per person per day, half for drinking and half for cooking and hygiene. Two weeks is the home target, which is 14 gallons each. Rotate stored tap water every 6 to 12 months, and keep a filter and a chemical treatment so you can make more.

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