Around here we are always trying to reduce waste, and one of the easiest ways we have found to do that is by composting. I love that composting makes waste useful again by providing my gardens with valuable nutrients. A few more added bonuses are that we are sending less of this volume into the landfills, using fewer garbage bags, and have less smelly garbage.
After working with compost for a few years I’m still absolutely amazed by the sheer volume of stuff that can be composted. I put together a list of everything that an be composted to my knowledge, though I’m sure someone will point out something that I’m missing. Some of these things are stuff that you would have never considered tossing into your compost before, so have a scroll through.
- Plant-based food scraps
- Tea leaves
- Coffee grounds
- Old beer
- Old wine
- Shredded newspaper/paper (not shiny)
- Shredded cardboard
- Expired or moldy jams and jellies
- Domestic rabbit bedding
- Dryer lint
- Bamboo products (cutting boards, plants, etc.)
- Plant based milks (whether they’ve gone bad or not
- Wood ash
- Liquids from canned foods
- Old breakfast cereal
- Cheese
- Masking tape (non-silicone type)
- Leftover rice
- Granite dust
- Plants from an aquarium
- Nut Shells (be careful, many of these can be acidic – Also avoid Black Walnuts)
- Used paper plates (Meat residue may attract animals)
- Cotton or wool materials, cut into small pieces (this includes clothes and blankets, just be sure they are 100% cotton or wool first)
- Nail Clippings (gross but true)
- Hair clippings (less gross?)
- Grass clippings
- Burlap sacks
- Tobacco products
- Chicken bedding
- Dust bunnies (you know the stuff from your vacuum and dust pan)
- Seeds
- Spoiled milk
- Wooden skewers (the type you make kabobs with
- Stale crackers
- Seashells (including clams and muscles)
- Store receipts
- Sawdust
- Ground bone (meat product may attract pests)
- Chewing gum
- Stale bread
- Used natural potpourri
- Dog food
- Latex balloons
- Old flowers
- Olive pits
- Urine (yep)
- Stale tortilla and potato chips
- Organic ropes
- Peanut shells
- Oat and wheat bran
- Blood meal (may attract pests, so try to bury it well)
- Paper towels (any meat residue may attract animals)
- Garden waste
- Leather (old belts, shoes, purses, with any plastic or metal removed)
- Crumbs
- Dolomite lime
- Old potting soil
- Elmer’s glue
- Deconstructed organic holiday wreaths
- Seaweed (this includes Nori)
- Coffee filters
- pure cellophane bags
- Old post-it notes
- Crepe paper streamers
- Latex condoms (no judgement)
- expired ice cream (as if there is such a thing)
- Fish food
- Toothpicks
- Gelatin (even fluorescent green Jell-O)
- Leftover oatmeal
- Chopped avocado pits
- Candy canes
- Paper baking cups (like what you use for cupcakes)
- Old tofu or tempeh
- Latex gloves
- Raffia
- Feathers
- Canned vegetables (including pickles)
- Dead bugs (swatted flies etc.)
- Egg shells
- Organic Q-tips
- Dead houseplants
- Rawhides (like the kind you give your dog)
- Coffee filters
- Paperback books (glossy covers and inserts removed)
- Old sea sponges
- Old Kleenex
- Unpopped popcorn kernels
- Electric razor trimmings
- Dead starfish
- Freezer burnt Fruits and vegetables
- Used or wet matches
- Old organic loofahs
- Pencil shavings
- Old herbs and spices
- Leftover pasta
- Catnip
- Wine corks
- Cotton Balls
- Pet hair and fur
- Stale pretzels
And there you have it, over 100 things to compost. As I said before I’m sure that there are more I am missing, but it’s pretty amazing how much household garbage can be turned into wonderful and useful compost for your garden.