Indoor Composting Made Simple: Eco-Friendly Space-Saving Ideas for Turning Scraps into Gold

Most composting happens in the great outdoors, but what if you don't have the yard space (or the desire) to trek through rain, sleet, and wind just to toss your kitchen scraps? Indoor composting is the perfect way to recycle food waste regardless of the weather. An indoor composter, electric or otherwise, also enables those with smaller spaces to transform food waste into nutrient rich soil.

Whether you are looking for an indoor composting machine or a simple DIY bucket, these organic indoor composting ideas for beginners can help you. They allow even growers in apartments, condos, or small houses to transform everyday waste into black gold. Not only does this keep up to 30% of your waste out of landfills, but it also creates a nutrient-rich amendment to pamper your houseplants and patio containers. Here’s how to perfect the art of home-based composting.

Why Should You Compost Indoors?

In today’s world, space is at a premium. More and more of us are squeezing into smaller homes, apartments and condos, living in urban environments where a traditional backyard compost pile isn't an option. With this comes a loss of outdoor space, which means folks need to be innovative in how they use their limited space. Hence, the idea of a composting unit or compost bin for indoors.

Organic matter is garden gold, improving soil structure and water retention. By composting indoors, you are taking a powerful step toward a more sustainable lifestyle. Common concerns like "what about the smell?" can hold people back. Fortunately, modern methods (from microbial fermentation to high-speed dehydration) have made indoor composting cleaner and more efficient than ever.

4 Indoor Composting Options to Try

There are several composing options for inside the home that can be accomplished either anaerobically or aerobically. Anaerobic means composting without oxygen, while aerobic means composting with oxygen. Anaerobic composters may be placed on the kitchen counter or under the sink, while aerobic composters use vermiculture, or a worm bin. Here are a few of the most straightforward options for indoor use.

1. Kitchen Countertop Collection Bins

The most basic “indoor bin” is actually a collection vessel. It is designed to hold scraps until you’re ready to take them to an outdoor pile or a municipal green bin. Basically, this is a small vessel that has a lid and sometimes a filter that you place food scraps in. The bin is generally small enough to place on a kitchen counter so it is easy to access.

To prevent fruit flies, try wrapping food scraps in a layer of newspaper before placing them in the bin to provide a carbon cap. Furthermore, to keep things fresh, make sure your bin has an activated charcoal filter in the lid to trap odors. You can buy Simply Carbon Extra Thick Filters from Amazon which have a universal size to fit all compost bins and vessels.

Some countertop options do come with filters added. Good brands include Bamboozle and Epica, both highly rated for keeping your composting odor-free. You can buy Epica Countertop Compost Bins and Bamboozle Countertop Compost Bins from Amazon.

2. Electric Composting Machines

Electric composting machines, often called food recyclers, are relatively recent high-tech newcomers on the market. They claim to compost kitchen scraps in an accelerated time frame, compared to the slow process of decomposition. An indoor composting machine may also be referred to as a food recycler or processor. Food is placed in a small bucket, the unit is turned on, and it grinds and dries the food.

Units like the Qeetex Electric Composter from Lowe’s or the Reencle Prime Electric Composter from Amazon use heat and grinding to reduce food volume by up to 90% in just a few hours. While these machines produce a dry, soil-like “pre-compost” it isn't always biologically stable. For the best results, you need to mix this output with existing potting soil rather than using it as a standalone medium.

Plus, these units can be a little on the pricey side. What they do however, is remove water and break up food waste so that it takes up less space in a landfill. But it probably isn’t advisable to repot your monstera in the resulting food grounds.

3. Indoor Vermicomposting (Worm Bins)

Next up, we have composting using an indoor worm compost bin. This is an excellent way to get compost out of your kitchen scraps. Worms work their magic as they eat through the scraps and excrete black gold. This is a no-smell option that can be tucked away in a small area. You will need a bin with a lid; they can be purchased or made. You can buy space-efficient Worm Factory 360 and VermiHut Composter, both from Amazon.

Vermicomposting uses specialized worms, like Red Wigglers, to eat through your scraps. This is an aerobic process that is virtually odorless when done correctly. Place the bin in a dark, dry area with a temperature between 55-80°F (13-27°C). Then fill it half full with damp bedding material made up of shredded newspaper or other non-glossy paper, cardboard, sawdust, dry leaves or a combination of any or all and a handful or two of soil. Fluff it up and add your worms.

Be sure to feed your worms once a week with chopped up veggies and fruit (except citrus peels), coffee grounds and filters, moist bread, shredded napkins and crushed egg shells. Bury the food beneath the bedding to ensure the worms find it quickly and to prevent any surface odors.

4. DIY Indoor Composting Bin

Finally, you can make your own DIY indoor compost bin. You can create a budget-friendly aerobic system using a plastic tote or styrofoam cooler. The key is to balance greens (nitrogen-rich scraps) with browns (carbon-rich paper or dry leaves) in a 2:1 or 3:1 ratio.

You will need a styrofoam cooler with a lid, active compost, coffee grounds, kitchen scraps or shredded paper, and a thermometer. The goal is to initiate decomposition which requires oxygen, water and a food source. The Vivosun Compost Thermometer from Amazon is a good choice for beginner composters and can help you check if your DIY bin is on track.

Place equal parts of coffee grounds and compost into the cooler until it’s two-thirds full. Mix water in until the mixture is just moist, not sodden. Place your thermometer into the soil to take a starting temperature. If you use a probe thermometer, you can just leave it in the mixture.

Drill small air holes, add a base of damp shredded cardboard, and stir weekly, keeping track of the temperature. If you use a probe thermometer and the temperature rises, you know the microbes are hard at work. You can buy composting aids like Ferry-Morse Compost Starter Bags from Lowe’s. The temperature should rise or hold steady until the decomposition process ceases. Stir the mixture to stimulate decomposition. At some point the process is finished and you will be left with compost.

Problems with Indoor Composting

Even with the best intentions, indoor systems can run into trouble. Here are some of the key problems budding home composters will run into, and how to troubleshoot your way to stress-free sustainable soil supplements:

• Foul Odors: This usually happens if the bin is too wet or lacks oxygen (becoming anaerobic). The solution is to stir in more browns like shredded paper or dry peat moss to soak up moisture. Ensure your air vents aren't blocked.
• Pest Issues: Fruit flies and gnats are attracted to exposed rotting fruit. Never leave food on the surface. Always trench your scraps: dig a small hole in the bedding, drop the food in, and cover it back up. A layer of damp newspaper on top of the pile also acts as a physical barrier.
• Slow Decomposition: If your bin isn't cooking, it might be too dry or low on nitrogen. Give it a light spritz of water (it should feel like a wrung-out sponge) or add green scraps like coffee grounds to kickstart the heat.

Frequently Asked Questions

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