In an effort to live a little “greener” I decided to make my own compost bin. Since I am on bed rest, I had to rely on my trusty helpers to accomplish this project. I searched the internet for several weeks trying to find the easiest and cheapest way to make a compost bin, and finally came up with this idea.
You will need:
- 1 Trash can with lid
- 1 Drill
- 2 Bungee Cords
- Kids that like to roll things around the yard
I do not recommend making this inside, unless you have to sit in your bed to take the pictures.
Using the drill, drill holes in the garbage can. We decided to drill 4 or 5 holes on each “side” of the can. ( I realize circles don’t have sides, but I hope you understand what I mean) After consulting with several readers, I would drill 10 to 15 holes on each side. The more air the better.
It helps to have one person drilling and another person holding the can steady.
When you are finished it should look like this.
Then drill several holes in the lid.
Once you are finished drilling all the holes fill the can about 1/3 full with grass clippings and leaves. Then spray them with a little water so they are damp.
You can then begin adding your kitchen waste. Here is a list of things you can add to your bin.
Keep your lid secured on your bin, we used bungee cords.
Every few days have your helpful children roll the bin around the yard to mix things up.
Store your bin in a sunny spot to help break things down quicker.
Total cost of this project: About $15 for the can, the bungee cords were in the garage.
Total time spent: Less then 30 minutes including clean-up.
Disclaimer: The pregnant lady on bed rest was not harmed nor did she get out of bed during the making of this bin. All work was done by children in accordance with Maryland child labor laws.
This post is linking to The Nester and A Soft Place to Land.
IY compost bin and renewed my dream of chickens…Where for art Thou, chickens! sigh. Maybe next spring! ;o) [...] 
Thanks for posting this! We tried a different DIY composter last year, and it didn’t work very well for mixing. This one that can be rolled (and sit up descretely in a corner of the back yard) seems perfect! We’ll definitely be making one soon.
OH! I’ve been wanting to start a compost pile/bin/something, but everything is super expensive or seems overwhelmingly complicated.
This . . . I can do. Totally. And the kids rolling it around the yard, a plus!
What utter bull about dogs and human food. Dogs evolved to eat scrap human food as scavengers. The “dog food is the only safe food for dogs” myth was brought about by pet food manufacturers.
My dad built a similar model using a trash can except that he cut off the bottom and dug it into the ground. The concept was that he wanted a compost pile but had to somehow prevent animals from getting to the food scraps. The advantage to his model is that it allows any extra wetness to easily escape . Disadvantage? He can’t turn it as easily as your model!
I saw a 32-gallon plastic container at Home Depot for around $15, and I thought it would be the cheapest and easiest way for me to make a composter; however, I didn’t go ahead with the project because I was concerned that the plastic might not hold up to the heat generated by the composting process. Well, now, thanks to you, I’m going to risk it.
This is a great example of keeping it simple! I really like this plan for ease of use and cost, but I was wondering if you have any concerns not using a food grade container? After researching, it seems certain plastics can breakdown dangerous chemicals which would be absorbed by your garden vegetables through the compost. Just wondering your thoughts on this?
Thanks for posting this. We have been looking for an inexpensive way to make a compost bin. We probably have a spare trash can we can use, too!
Take good care of yourself.
So glad you reposted this! I din’t realize how easy it was to make one of these! Guess who is getting one for their birthday?
@Tamara, If you are worried about BPA and other chemicals leaching into your veges, you could always use a steel bin, probably a fair bit dearer though.
As a Labor and Delivery RN, I absolutely love your disclaimer!! Great ideas for the compost bin too!
totally doing this – thanks- been looking for an inexpensive way to do it and this looks good!
I’ve heard that adding some worms to the mix would help speed the composting process. Could worms be added to this rig you’ve set up here, or should I be looking for another type of bin better suited to housing worms? TIA!!