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Cheap & Easy DIY Compost Bin

January 19, 2014 by Tiffany Davis 12 Comments

Why pay for an expensive composter when you can make a Cheap and Easy DIY Compost Bin?  Once you make one, you’ll be making another!

If you are a gardener and you aren’t composting yet…well you’re missing out my friend.  Composting make yard and kitchen waste into black gold.  But I know that buying a composter can be pricey – but I’m going to solve that right now!  You can make a DIY compost bin cheap and easy!  I had the can and the drill so this project was free for me.  But you can find these plastic trash cans on sale; I got mine for $13 at Home Depot a year ago.

Cheap & Easy DIY Compost Bin by ImperfectlyHappy.com

DIY Compost Bin

Supplies Needed

1 32-gallon plastic trash can

1 Drill

1 Drill bit 3/8th to 1/2 inch

Steps to create your DIY Compost Bin

    1. It is simple as drilling rows of holes into your trash can.  I did each row about 6 to 8 inches apart and each hole about 2 to 3 inches apart.  I didn’t measure and I wasn’t worried about it all being perfectly even.  But your compost needs to breath. Remember  that compost is full of living things that nee air to live and complete your compost.
      Cheap & Easy DIY Compost Bin by ImperfectlyHappy.com

Let it Rot!: The Gardener’s Guide to Composting

    1. Cheap & Easy DIY Compost Bin by ImperfectlyHappy.com
      Make sure you get all the plastic junk out of the holes and your can…who wants that in their compost?  Yuck.
    2. Drill your lid.  If you plan to roll your can to mix it then you might not want to do this.  My holes are only 3/8 of an inch and I’m not worried about a little coming out if we decide to roll it.  But I’m more of a shovel mixer anyway…
      Cheap & Easy DIY Compost Bin by ImperfectlyHappy.com
    3. Fill and wait for the magic to happen.  My hope is to have 4 – 6 of these smaller composters. Small piles will breakdown faster than a larger pile and I’ll have one ready while I am filling the others up.
      Cheap & Easy DIY Compost Bin by ImperfectlyHappy.com
    4. Don’t forget to keep your compost watered; those microbes need water too.  But don’t drown it!  Here my youngest is giving our larger compost bin a little drink.


Cheap & Easy DIY Compost Bin by ImperfectlyHappy.com

Check out my post on  10 things you never want to compost!

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Filed Under: Compost, DIY, Gardening, Weekend Work Tagged With: compost, composting, diy composter, garbage can compost, trash can compost

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Comments

  1. Kim says

    January 22, 2014 at 11:50 pm

    Love this idea! Do you add worms? Any smell? How often do you turn it? I’m trying to decide between this and vermicomposting…

    Reply
    • TiffanyRD says

      January 23, 2014 at 7:31 am

      I am not planning to add worms to this one but I do want to create a worm bin specifically. There is no smell – just no dog/cat poo or any meat product. I get a shovel in there when I add rabbit pans. 😉 I have also started to “eye” leaves in people’s front yards. lol

      Reply
  2. charla harris says

    March 11, 2014 at 1:46 pm

    Fill it with what? I’m sorry to sound so dense. I have heard of composting just never knew what it was. This will be my first year gardening ANYThING. Lol

    Reply
    • TiffanyRD says

      March 18, 2014 at 8:49 am

      Mine is mainly rabbit droppings. But you can add fresh (uncooked) fruit and veggies scraps from the kitchen, but avoid seeds. Leaves, grass clippings, pine needles from your yard but avoid pesticide treated plants. I even add my coffee grounds and tea bags!

      Reply
  3. Christy says

    June 11, 2018 at 6:51 pm

    Does chopping up fruit/veggie waste help break down faster or is that just adding extra work? I saw something that said no fish, bone, etc. Does this mean no eggshells or gutted fish remains? Would adding worms to the bin kill them cuz it gets so hot breaking down/composting? I also saw somewhere that adding human hair & vacumn waste is compostable. Is that true/ recommended?

    Reply
    • Tiffany Davis says

      June 12, 2018 at 4:06 am

      I believe it does but isn’t necessary in a large system. You should only add worms to a vermicomposting system. Human hair that is not chemically treated would be fine, as well as animal fur without chemicals. I would probably avoid vacuum waste.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. An Evening in the Garden | Imperfectly Happy says:
    February 2, 2014 at 7:03 pm

    […] DIY Compost Bin […]

    Reply
  2. 5 Easy Steps into Backyard Homesteading – Imperfectly Happy says:
    June 24, 2014 at 6:01 pm

    […] soil, etc.  And it really isn’t the daunting task you might think it is.  You can even build your own trash can composter (seriously if I can, you can).  Then start adding kitchen scraps, bunny droppings, coffee grounds […]

    Reply
  3. Top 10 Posts of 2014 - Imperfectly Happy says:
    December 31, 2014 at 2:27 pm

    […] #7 – DIY Compost Bin […]

    Reply
  4. 10 Things You Never Want to Compost - Imperfectly Happy says:
    January 29, 2015 at 8:15 am

    […] Check out how you can make a DIY Compost Bin! […]

    Reply
  5. 8 Keys to Self-Sufficiency - Imperfectly Happy says:
    February 6, 2015 at 12:28 pm

    […] Create soil enrichment.  When you’re planting in the same area year after year, you’re going to risk depleting the soil.  Compost invigorates the soil food web and enriches the soil for healthy, vigorous plants. See my Cheap and Easy Compost Bin […]

    Reply
  6. Troubleshooting Your Compost - Imperfectly Happy says:
    January 26, 2016 at 5:01 am

    […] find your issue and correct it. Whether you’re composting in a fancy composter, a pile or a converted garbage can – troubleshooting your compost is pretty much the […]

    Reply

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