How to Start Composting At Home: Your Ultimate Guide

Composting is a decomposition process that transforms natural ingredients and materials into recycled organic matter (a.k.a., compost, the dark, crumbly end result) that is then used to fertilize plants. 

If you’ve been looking for ways to live sustainably, then composting at home is a great place to start. Especially since composting cuts down on unnecessary organic waste and reduces methane emissions from landfills. 

Not to mention, a compost mix adds nutrient rich material back into the soil! 

The good news is that making a compost pile at home is not as challenging as you may think (or as smelly). All you need is the right discarded organic matter and a few other ingredients.

In this guide, we’re teaching you all there is to know about composting at home, like how to start a compost pile indoors or outside, the materials you need, and the acceptable items to compost.

Let’s dig in (pun intended).

Things You Can Compost (and things you shouldn’t)

In short, anything that derives from living organisms can be used in your compost concoction… minus a few exceptions. 

To start, here’s a breakdown of acceptable items to compost:

  • Fruit & veggies scraps/peels
  • Eggshells
  • Coffee grounds & filters
  • Shredded newspapers
  • Yard/garden trimmings
  • Dryer & vacuum cleaner lint
  • Hair and/or pet fur
  • Teabags
  • Paper
  • Sawdust
  • Cardboard
  • Natural wood fireplace ashes
  • Straw or dead leaves

The good news is that you can mix different ingredients in your compost mix, so you can use several of these items at once. Just make sure you have containers on hand like this one or this one to house your composting scraps in the meantime.

But when it comes to the items you should not use for composting, it all comes down to avoiding items that can be filled with disease and bacteria. Or, items that can cause your compost to smell anything but pleasant. 

Here’s what not to put in compost to prevent bacteria, disease, or chemicals from easily spreading to other plants:

  • Animal waste 
  • Cheese or dairy products
  • Meat, fish, or bone scraps
  • Diseased or insect-ridden plants
  • Black walnut tree leaves or twigs
  • Coal or charcoal ash
  • Chemically-treated yard clippings 

How to Start a Compost Pile Indoors

1. Start collecting kitchen scraps

Part of the composting starts with your kitchen scraps, known as the “green materials” in your compost mix.

Remembering the acceptable items to compost from our previous section, keep a countertop compost bin like this one in your kitchen to collect scraps you will use later on. 


It’s important to note that this countertop bin is not the container where your compost will develop. It’s solely used to transfer your scraps (when you’ve collected enough) to your actual composting bin later on. 

2. Set up a DIY compost bin

Speaking of actual composting bin, you can make your own compost bin indoor with the following materials:

  • A sealable container
  • Handheld drill
  • Nylon mesh
  • Hot glue gun
  • Dirt or soil

Next, follow these styles to create your DIY compost bin indoors:

  1. Drill at least five holes in the bottom of your bin for drainage.
  2. Cut a nylon mesh screen to cover the air holes you just drilled (this prevents flies and insects from entering the bin).
  3. Hot glue the mesh to the bottom of the bin.
  4. Add dirt or soil to the bottom inside.
  5. Cover the top with the lid.

Now that you have your DIY compost bin set up, you’re ready to add your compost ingredients once you’ve collected enough kitchen scraps. 

3. Gather compost mix ingredients

Along with your collected kitchen scraps, here are the other materials you will need to add to your DIY compost bin: 

  • Green materials
  • Brown materials
  • Water
  • Handheld shovel

2. Add the green materials to compost bin

Opening up the lid to your indoor compost bin, the first step in creating your pile is by adding the green materials first. 

The green materials (kitchen scraps and yard clippings) add nitrogen to the mixture that’s necessary for starting the decomposition and serving as the protein source.

3. Add the brown materials to compost bin

Next, you’ll add the brown materials to the same compost bin on top of your green materials. The brown materials (leaves, paper, ash, and straw) are high in carbon, which acts as the main energy source. 

4. Water the mixture

Moisture is crucial for your compost mix to start breaking down and transform into the dark, crumbly mixture.

Once your green and brown materials are in your compost bin, add enough water to dampen the scraps. Ideally, your ingredients should be wet and moist, not sopping. 

5. Check moisture levels

It will take anywhere from four to twelve weeks for your compost pile to be ready to harvest as long as moisture levels stay where they should be.

As your mixture starts to decompose, it’s important for you to monitor moisture levels by checking the concoction every 1-2 days and adding more water.

6. Turn your pile routinely

In order for your pile to turn into successful compost, you will need to turn your pile regularly (once or twice a week) with the help of a handheld shovel. 

7. Harvest when ready

You’ll know your compost mix is ready to harvest when the materials have decomposed into a matter that closely resembles soil. 

When your compost has successfully broken down, you can begin to use it in your garden beds or for potted plants.

How to Start a Compost Pile Outdoors

1. Select the right location

The best place to start your compost pile outdoors is a dry, shady spot near a source of water. These types of locations work best since they help the pile retain moisture that’s needed to cause an active breakdown of ingredients. 

If you can’t find an ideal location outdoors to start a compost pile on the ground, you can use an outdoor compost bin for the same effect.

2. Alternate brown & green layers

Creating a compost pile outdoors starts with alternating layers of brown and green materials. It’s best to start with a base of brown materials first when composting outdoors, like straw, twigs, or leaves, so your pile has better drainage.

But, remember that your compost pile should contain a close-to-perfect ratio of 50% nitrogen and 50% hydrogen.

3. Add water

Next you will need to water the pile in order to start the decomposition. Since your compost mix is outside, you have several options when it comes to watering your pile:

  • Rainwater
  • Garden hose
  • Using buckets

When you’re not watering your pile, keep it covered with a tarp or something similar so the mixture retains as much water as possible.

4. Monitor & turn the pile consistently

Like you would when composting indoors, you will need to monitor the moisture levels and turn the pile outdoors, too. 

Add more water to the pile so that it’s moist every few days before turning with a rake, pitchfork, or shovel once a week or more. 

5. Harvest when ready

Once your materials have broken down and turned into compost, it’s time to harvest and use them!

Bonus Tips for Successful Composting At Home

  • To start a compost pile outside, the ideal size to save up is at least 3 feet high, wide, and deep. For indoor composting, you should save up enough to fill your bin.
  • You can speed up the decomposition process by adding a “compost accelerator” product that adds extra nitrogen to the pile. 
  • If your compost pile starts to smell, this means your materials are either too wet or the balance is off. You can fix this by adding more absorbent materials or turning your pile more. 
  • While water is important, it’s also important to give your compost pile some air by using a compost aerator every time you go to turn your pile. 

You can start a compost pile at any point during the year, but expect a slower breakdown process during the winter months.

 

 

 


1 comment


  • Therese

    We deliver our compost to farmers market where compostables are collected. They accept dairy and meat products. Do you still say no dairy or meat products for the actual bamboozler? thanks!


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