When boxes of ammo start to stack up in your closet, you want to make sure you’re storing it right. When exposed to certain elements, ammo can become damaged, and when you need it the most, it can fail. Yet when you store ammunition correctly, ammo can last a lifetime, if not longer.

Store your ammo properly with these simple tips.

Ammo Storage tip 1: Keep It Dry

To guarantee your ammo stays dry, consider keeping it in a new or used ammo can. Made from metal or plastic, a good ammo can has a rubber gasket that creates an airtight seal, keeping moist, humid air out and dry, cool air in. If you live somewhere with high levels of humidity (or even if you don’t), you should include a few moisture-absorbing packs in your ammo cans.

Ammo Storage Tip 2: Keep It Cool

When ammo gets too hot, it can impact the gunpowder’s chemical properties, so be sure to keep it away from extreme temperatures. Furnaces, wood burners, and even space heaters can cause temperature jumps, which are also important to avoid. While a 10-20 degree change over the course of year isn’t a big deal, 0-100 degrees can be, which means outdoor storage isn’t advisable in many areas of the country.

Ammo Storage Tip 3: Keep It Dark

Beyond cool and dry, keep your ammo in the dark, or at least away from the sun’s UV rays. Over time, the sun damages bullets in the same way it damages the metal on your vehicle. But if you store ammunition indoors in standard ammo cans (not clear plastic totes), it’s safe.

Ammo Storage Tip 4: Keep It Labeled

If you’re using multiple ammo cans, label the outside of each can with its contents. That way when you’re looking for ammo for a 9mm, you don’t keep opening ammo cans filled with .22 bullets. You should also write the date on ammo boxes when you get them and rotate your stock. This guarantees you know what ammo is the oldest and use it first.