How to Make Compost at Home Step by Step (No Backyard Needed!)

There's something wonderfully satisfying about turning table scraps and yard clippings into rich, earthy compost. Maybe you’ve eyed those glossy garden magazines and thought, “I wish I could make my own compost, but where do I even start?” You’re not alone. Many of us want to reduce waste and nourish our gardens naturally—but the process can feel a little mysterious at first. Thankfully, making compost at home is simpler than it seems. With a bit of know-how, a few helpful tools, and some patience, you can turn everyday waste into garden gold. Whether you're aiming to enrich your soil, reduce your trash output, or just try something new and rewarding, here’s how to make compost at home step by step.

Step 1: Choose the Right Compost Bin

Before tossing in your first banana peel, you’ll want to pick a suitable compost container. The type of compost bin you choose will determine how hands-on the process will be—and how quickly you see results.

Types of Compost Bins

• Stationary Bins: Simple and budget-friendly, these bins sit directly on the ground and are great for slower, cold composting.
• Tumbling Bins: Perfect for quicker composting and easy to turn, tumblers like the FCMP Outdoor IM4000 Dual Chamber Tumbling Composter help you speed up the breakdown process without strain.
• DIY Compost Piles: If you have ample backyard space, you can also just enclose a corner of your yard with wooden pallets or wire mesh to create a pile.

Tumbling bins are especially handy for beginners. The FCMP model, for instance, has dual chambers so you can keep one side active while the other side finishes curing. It's a tidy, pest-resistant solution that tucks nicely into any backyard.

“We switched to a dual-chamber tumbler early on, and it made the whole composting process way more manageable. No more guessing when it’s ready!” — Sheila, reader in Oregon

Step 2: Collect Your Compost Ingredients

Not everything should go into your compost pile, and keeping the right balance of ingredients is key. Compost thrives on two main types of materials: greens and browns.

What to Add

• Greens (Nitrogen-rich): Fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, fresh grass clippings, and garden trimmings.
• Browns (Carbon-rich): Dry leaves, shredded newspaper, cardboard, paper towels, twigs, and straw.

A helpful trick is to aim for a ratio of about 2 to 3 parts browns to 1 part greens. Too many greens can cause odor issues, while too many browns might slow down decomposition. To store scraps in the kitchen without the stink, a countertop container like the Exaco Trading Co. Kitchen Compost Collector with Carbon Filter Lid comes in handy. It holds several days' worth of food waste and keeps smells at bay with its built-in charcoal filter.

What to Avoid

• Meat, bones, or dairy products (can attract pests)
• Oily or greasy foods
• Pet waste
• Diseased plants
• Chemically-treated wood or grass clippings

Keeping your compost clean and balanced is the key to speedy, odor-free breakdown.

Step 3: Build Your Compost Layers

Once you’ve chosen a location and gathered materials, it’s time to start layering. Think of it like building a lasagna—alternating greens and browns to promote a healthy balance.

How to Layer for Success

• Start with a layer of browns on the bottom (about 4–6 inches deep) to help with drainage and airflow.
• Add a layer of greens—about half that thickness.
• Continue alternating browns and greens, maintaining that 2:1 or 3:1 brown-to-green ratio.
• Sprinkle water as you go if the materials feel dry—not soaking, just damp like a wrung-out sponge.

Finish with a layer of browns on top to help discourage flying pests and trap odor. Every few days, turn the pile or use the tumbler to give it a good mix—this provides oxygen and speeds up the breakdown process.

Step 4: Monitor, Maintain, and Troubleshoot

Composting isn’t a completely set-it-and-forget-it project—it’s more like a slow-cooking stew. Keep an eye (and sometimes a nose) on your compost to help it along.

Temperature & Turning

A hot compost pile will break down faster. The ideal internal temperature is between 130°F and 160°F. That might sound technical, but a tool like the REOTEMP Backyard Compost Thermometer with 20 Inch Stem and Easy-to-Read Dial makes checking easy and even a little fun.

• If the pile is cold and not breaking down, try adding more greens or giving it a turn.
• If it smells bad or turns slimy, add more browns and reduce water.

Regular mixing every 4–7 days will keep your pile aerated and on track. With a tumbler, just spin it a few times. For bin or pile systems, use a pitchfork or compost aerator tool.

Step 5: Harvest and Use Your Finished Compost

After 2 to 3 months (with a tumbler) or 4 to 6 months (in a pile), your compost will be ready to use. Finished compost looks dark, crumbly, and smells like fresh soil. You shouldn’t be able to recognize any original scraps.

How to Use It

• Garden Beds: Mix into soil before planting vegetables or flowers.
• Potting Mix: Blend a small amount into container soil for an all-natural boost.
• Topdressing: Spread a thin layer around trees, shrubs, or existing plants.
• Lawn Fertilizer: Rake over your lawn to replenish nutrients naturally.

Keep a bucket or garden cart nearby for transporting finished compost. You’ll be amazed at how rewarding it feels to use something you made from scratch to enrich your plants.

“Using our homemade compost on the veggie beds this spring gave us the healthiest tomatoes we’ve ever had. It just feels good knowing exactly what’s in our soil.” — Brian, reader in North Carolina

Helpful Tools from This Article

• FCMP Outdoor IM4000 Dual Chamber Tumbling Composter
• Exaco Trading Co. Kitchen Compost Collector with Carbon Filter Lid
• REOTEMP Backyard Compost Thermometer with 20 Inch Stem and Easy-to-Read Dial

We hope this step-by-step guide has helped demystify the world of home composting. It’s a simple habit that yields long-term benefits—not just for your garden, but for the planet. Take it one banana peel at a time, and before long, you’ll have a healthy heap of homemade compost ready to feed your plants and flowers. We’d love to see how your composting setup blossoms! Tag @PorchLightPicks and share your success with us—we’re cheering you on from the porch.