Start with a container you already have or buy one designed for the job

You do not need to buy anything to begin composting. A plastic storage bin with a lid, a wooden crate lined with wire mesh, or even a pile in the corner of your yard all work. If you want a purpose-built bin, options range from $30 plastic tumblers to $150+ wooden or metal structures. The size that makes sense depends on how much kitchen waste your household produces and how much space you have.

A small bin — roughly 3 feet by 3 feet by 3 feet, or about 27 cubic feet — is a good starting point for a household of two to four people. Smaller bins (under 18 cubic feet) heat up slowly and may not break down material fast enough to prevent odor. Larger bins take up more space but process waste faster because the pile reaches the temperature needed for decomposition more quickly.

If you use a container without drainage holes, drill or poke holes in the bottom and sides. Compost needs air and water to move through it. A solid bin traps moisture and creates smell.

Key Takeaways

  • A working compost bin needs brown material (dry leaves, shredded paper, cardboard), green material (food scraps, grass clippings), air, and moisture in roughly equal parts by volume.
  • Start by layering browns and greens, then add new scraps to the top as your household produces them — you do not need to turn the pile to get usable compost, though turning speeds it up.
  • Finished compost looks dark, crumbly, and earthy and takes anywhere from two months to a year depending on how often you turn the pile and what you put in it.
  • Meat, dairy, oils, and pet waste should not go in a home compost bin because they attract pests or create health hazards.
  • A small bin in a shaded spot with good drainage underneath will work better than one in full sun or on concrete.

Gather your starting materials: browns and greens

Brown material is dry, carbon-rich stuff: fallen leaves, shredded newspaper or cardboard, straw, wood chips, or sawdust. Green material is moist, nitrogen-rich stuff: vegetable and fruit scraps, coffee grounds, grass clippings, and plant trimmings. You need both. Browns alone decompose very slowly. Greens alone become a wet, smelly mess.

Start your bin by layering. Put down 4 to 6 inches of brown material first — this creates air pockets at the bottom. Then add 4 to 6 inches of green material. Repeat until your bin is full or you run out of material. Water each layer lightly as you go, so everything is damp but not soggy. The pile should feel like a wrung-out sponge.

If you do not have enough material to fill the bin at once, that is fine. Start with what you have and add more as it becomes available. Many people keep a small container under the kitchen sink for scraps and dump it into the bin once or twice a week.

What to put in and what to leave out

Safe to compost: vegetable and fruit scraps (including peels and cores), coffee grounds and tea bags, crushed eggshells, grass clippings, leaves, shredded paper and cardboard, straw, wood chips, and plant trimmings. Cooked vegetables are fine; raw or cooked fruit is fine.

Do not compost: meat, fish, bones, dairy products, oils and fats, pet waste, diseased plants, or weeds with seeds. These either attract rats and other pests, create odor problems, or introduce pathogens that a home bin does not get hot enough to kill. Glossy or colored paper and cardboard with plastic coating should also stay out.

Citrus peels, onions, and garlic can go in, but use them sparingly — large amounts can slow decomposition. Bread, pasta, and grains are technically compostable but attract pests more readily than other scraps, so many people avoid them in small bins.

Keep the pile moist and aerated

Compost needs moisture and air to break down. If your bin dries out, decomposition slows dramatically. If it becomes waterlogged, it smells bad and attracts flies. Check the pile every week or two by reaching in and squeezing a handful. It should feel damp but not dripping wet.

If it is too dry, water it lightly. If it is too wet, add more brown material (shredded paper or leaves work well) to absorb moisture. If you have a bin with a door or access panel at the bottom, you can also turn the pile by pulling material out from the bottom and piling it back on top — this mixes the material and adds air without needing to move the whole bin.

You do not have to turn the pile at all. Stationary piles decompose on their own, just more slowly — usually six months to a year for finished compost. Turning the pile every week or two speeds things up to two to four months. The choice depends on how much time and effort you want to spend.

Position your bin for success

Place the bin in a shady or partly shaded spot. Full sun dries out the pile too quickly. Make sure the ground underneath has good drainage — do not set it on concrete or in a low spot where water pools. If drainage is poor, set the bin on a pallet or wooden frame to lift it slightly off the ground.

Keep the bin away from your house if possible, especially if you are new to composting and worried about smell. A corner of the yard or a side area works well. Make sure you can reach it easily to add scraps and turn the pile if you choose to.

If you live in a cold climate, insulate the bin in winter by wrapping it with leaves or straw, or by moving it against a south-facing wall to catch what warmth is available. Decomposition slows in cold weather but does not stop entirely.

Recognize when your compost is ready to use

Finished compost looks dark brown or black, crumbly, and earthy. You should not be able to identify the original materials — no recognizable vegetable scraps or leaves. It smells like soil, not like rot. When you squeeze a handful, it holds together loosely but falls apart easily.

The time to reach this point varies widely. A hot, frequently turned pile can produce finished compost in two to three months. A stationary pile takes six months to a year or longer, depending on what you put in it and the temperature. You can use partially finished compost in garden beds or potted plants — it will continue to break down there — but fully finished compost is easier to work with and less likely to tie up nitrogen as it decomposes further.

Sift finished compost through a screen or old window screen to remove larger pieces that have not broken down yet. Return those pieces to the bin to finish decomposing, and use the fine material in your garden or in potted plants.

Troubleshoot common problems

If your bin smells bad, it is usually too wet or has too much green material. Add brown material, turn the pile if you can, and reduce how much you are adding. If it smells like ammonia specifically, you have too much nitrogen — add more brown material and turn the pile to add air.

If you see flies or gnats, bury food scraps deeper in the pile instead of leaving them on top, and make sure your bin has a tight-fitting lid. If you see rats or other pests, stop adding meat, dairy, or oily scraps, and make sure the bin itself is find and not sitting directly on the ground where animals can burrow underneath.

If decomposition is very slow, the pile may be too dry, too cold, or too small. Add water, wait for warmer weather, or add more material to build up the pile's mass so it heats up better. If you have a lot of woody material (branches, wood chips), it will take much longer to break down — save those for a separate pile or use them as mulch instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I compost in an apartment or on a balcony?

Yes, with a small enclosed bin and careful management. A 5-gallon bucket with a lid, a small plastic tumbler, or a commercial vermicomposting bin (which uses worms) all work in tight spaces. Keep the lid sealed, use only small amounts of scraps, and turn or mix the pile frequently to prevent odor. Balcony composting works best if you can position the bin in shade and away from neighbors' windows.

How often should I add scraps to the bin?

Add scraps as your household produces them — daily, a few times a week, or weekly, depending on how much you generate. There is no fixed schedule. If you add a lot at once, bury it under brown material to reduce smell and pest problems. If you add small amounts frequently, the pile stays more balanced.

Can I use compost that still has some unbroken material in it?

Yes. Partially finished compost works fine in garden beds, potted plants, or as mulch. The unbroken pieces will continue to decompose in the soil. If you want only finished compost, sift it and return the larger pieces to the bin to finish breaking down.

What if my yard is too small for a bin?

A 5-gallon bucket with drainage holes drilled in the bottom and sides works for small spaces. You can also try vermicomposting (composting with worms in a bin under the sink or in a closet) or bokashi composting, which ferments scraps in a sealed bucket and produces material you can bury in a garden bed or potted plant. Both handle meat and dairy that regular compost cannot.

Do I need to buy compost starter or activator?

No. Compost will break down on its own as long as you have browns, greens, moisture, and air. Commercial starters and activators are not necessary. Finished compost or garden soil added to a new pile can speed things up slightly because they introduce microorganisms, but they are optional.