Kits and planning · Tool
The multi-use matrix
One dot per job. See which items cover the most ground, and where one item leaves a gap.
| Item | Shelf life | Water | Food | Medical | Hygiene | Cleaning | Pest | Fire | Repair | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea salt | INDEFINITE | 4 | ||||||||
| Honey | INDEFINITE | 3 | ||||||||
| Vinegar | INDEFINITE | 5 | ||||||||
| Baking soda | INDEFINITE | 5 | ||||||||
| Iodine | 5-10 YRS | 2 | ||||||||
| Activated charcoal | INDEFINITE | 4 | ||||||||
| Pool shock | UP TO 10 YRS | 2 | ||||||||
| Borax | INDEFINITE | 4 | ||||||||
| Vaseline | INDEFINITE | 4 | ||||||||
| Beef tallow | 1-2 YRS | 5 | ||||||||
| Glycerin | INDEFINITE | 3 | ||||||||
| Cayenne | 5+ YRS | 3 | ||||||||
| Boric acid | INDEFINITE | 4 | ||||||||
| Paraffin wax | INDEFINITE | 3 | ||||||||
| Isopropyl alcohol | 5-10+ YRS | 5 | ||||||||
| Diatomaceous earth | INDEFINITE | 4 | ||||||||
| Epsom salt | INDEFINITE | 2 | ||||||||
| Lye | INDEFINITE | 4 | ||||||||
| Castile soap | INDEFINITE | 2 | ||||||||
| Electrolytes | 7-10 YRS | 2 |
How to use it
Read acrossA row shows every job one item covers. The more dots, the more that item earns its shelf space.
Read downA column shows your cover for one job. A column with one or two dots is a gap to close.
Open the itemEach name links to its page: uses, storage, shelf life, and the recipes that use it.
Go deeper
Stockpile Essentials Field Guide The full checklist this matrix comes from: 239 items across 16 categories.Find a recipe by need Look up the job, open the recipe.The 33 compounds Every compound with uses, hazards, and storage.Shelf life table How long each of these really lasts.Never-mix checker Check any two before they share a shelf.Storing your compounds Containers, conditions, packing, and labels.
Source: Stockpile Essentials Field Guide.