Compost! This includes things like food scraps, grass, yard clippings, dead plants. It breaks down into wonderful, rich soil, and keeps waste out of the landfill.
Composting is very easy to do – all you need is some sort of composting bin outside. The picture above is my daughter composting some food scraps when she was little!
Check out my article on What You Need to Get Started With Composting.
You can compost all sorts of organic materials, from orange peels to tea bags, avoiding things like greasy items. You don’t want to compost things like cheese or meat. And avoid anything that might take a really long time to break down, such as a coconut shell or even pistachio shells.
Maintenance consists of watering, turning, and adding things like grass clippings or leaves. You want to find a good balance of composted foods, as well as things like yard waste.
Spring is a great time of year to begin composting if you are starting out. It will fill up quickly especially if you frequent farmer’s markets or are a member of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture share – check out localharvest.org to find one near you), and coincides well with doing yard work and gardening.
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Where can you find compost bins? Some towns offer discounted compost bins (although I have not found any local towns near me that do), or you can check with local garden supply stores. Last year I was pleasantly surprised to see a nice bin at our Wholesale Club for a decent price. You can of course purchase bins online, and Amazon.com might be a good option as they offer free shipping on many items, and offer a variety of bins, including these classic bins like the Soil Saver Classic Compost bin or the Redmon Culture 65 Gallon Compost Bin.
You may also want to think about getting an indoor composting crock for the kitchen counter, which makes it convenient to toss items into until you can make one bigger trip to the compost bin. This goes for everything from some crackers my toddler dropped on the floor to watermelon rinds and corn cobs from a summer cookout. The indoor bin is especially handy in the winter, when I continually procrastinate taking out the compost (our winters in the Northeast can be particularly bitter). The compost probably won’t be active (breaking down) during the winter months, but you can continue to add to the bin so that you have more volume when the weather warms up. I recommend something like a Ceramic or Stainless Steel compost crock, or more recently I tried a BioBag Composting Bucket with biodegradable bags, and I love it. This way, you take the whole bag to the compost bin – no cleanup required (just don’t leave a lot of wet items in it that will cause the bottom of the bag to break down).
It also helps to have some composting tools, such as a regular shovel for turning and mixing the compost. If you find that your compost is not turning (breaking down) fast enough, you can get a compost accelerator product.
And soon enough, you will have amazing compost that you can use for your lawn or garden! My toddler is a great helper with the compost and knows the difference between garbage, recycling, and compost.
About the Author: Marysa
Busy blogger and mom of two girls. We love traveling and the great outdoors, and are always looking for our next adventure!
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links; this blog receives a small commission from sales made through such links at no extra cost for you. All opinions remain my own.
We were just talking about this the other day with the kids. I just need to find some compost bins; I’m going to check our local gardening supply company this weekend. I can’t wait to start in Spring!
I love composting and have a very small compost pile, but its just for Mr. G and I. It really does make a difference.
I might have to try this. It seems easy enough. My parents do!
I started a compost pile in 2020 and I used an old kid swimming pool. I also have an indoor compost bucket.
I always wanted to start a compost, thanks for sharing these helpful tips.
Composting is so awesome! Such a great way to dispose of waste, while also wonderful to use in the garden!
That’s a good idea to get a compost for the kitchen. The easier it is to access the easier it is to make it habit.
We live in an apartment and do not have a garden, so we don’t compost at home. We do take all the compostable scraps to an organics collection site, though.
Composting is a great way to contribute towards our environment, and best thing is that it is so doable, your post really is a valuable guide.
I’ve heard there is a bit of an art to composting – would you say that’s correct? It’s always something I’ve wanted to do. I remember my parents had a huge compost pile at the back of the garden when I was a child!
Composting is something I’d like to do more of in 2022. This post was very informative on how to get started.
Wow! This is such a really great way to dispose waste, We’ve never done this before I think its time to start doing this!
We always do composting, it is a really big help to our environment. Thank you for sharing this to us!
I’ve always wanted to start my own compost. This makes it seem so doable!
I haven’t composted before but was needing some inspiration! Thank you so much!
Thanks for giving me the idea of getting an indoor composting crock for the kitchen. I think its convenient
This was the perfect inspiration for me to start composting. Ive always wanted to start my own compost
My mom loves to compost as she enjoys gardening a lot. I need to try this too. Seems so therapeutic!
Composting is such a great way to reduce environmental impact. It is actually an easy way to make a huge difference in the environment and help lower a lot of the issues in the environment.
My parents use to have a compost bin years back until we moved. This is a great idea. We need to start it up again x
I have always wanted to start composting. Thank you for the step-by-step information on how to do it! Very helpful!
The hubs and I have been wanting to do this. Thanks for the ideas and tips.
This is such an awesome post! Great way to help the environment and make sure plants get the nutrients they need. This will also help our family reduce waste!
This is a great post.. 🙂 Thank you so much for the idea.
Aaaalllllrrrriiigggghhhtttttt….now that you speak of compost, I remember that this is what my plants actually need from me, this year. I have largely ignored them on that front.
YEs! Composting is great! This gives our garden area such a huge boost of great nutrients!
The article is so interesting. Loved it!💓