The basics of composting are simple. Most people know they can compost fruit and vegetable peels, leaves, and grass clippings. But what about that tea bag you used this morning? Or the fur that collects in the brush when you groom your cat?
The following list is meant to get you thinking about your compost possibilities. Not every item on the list is for everyone, and that’s fine. Imagine how much trash we could prevent from going into the landfills if each of us just decided to compost a few more things.
Advertisement
Here are 75 ideas to get you started.
From the Kitchen
1. Coffee grounds and filters
2. Tea bags
Advertisement
3. Used paper napkins
4. Pizza boxes, ripped into smaller pieces
5. Paper bags, either ripped or balled up
6. The crumbs you sweep off your counters and floors
7. Plain cooked pasta
8. Plain cooked rice
9. Stale bread
10. Stale saltine crackers
11. Paper towel rolls
12. Stale cereal
13. Used paper plates (as long as they don’t have a waxy coating)
14. Cellophane bags (be sure it’s really Cellophane and not just clear plastic — there’s a difference)
15. Nut shells (except for walnut shells, which can be toxic to plants)
16. Old herbs and spices
17. Stale pretzels
18. Pizza crusts
19. Cereal boxes (tear them into smaller pieces first)
20. Wine corks
21. Moldy cheese
22. Melted ice cream
23. Old jelly, jam, or preserves
24. Stale beer and wine
25. Paper egg cartons
26. Toothpicks
27. Bamboo skewers
28. Paper cupcake or muffin cups
Advertisement
From the Bathroom
29. Used facial tissues
30. Hair from your hairbrush
Advertisement
31. Toilet paper rolls
32. Old loofahs
33. Nail clippings
34. Urine
35. Cotton balls — just make sure they’re 100 percent cotton
36. Cotton swabs — just make sure they’re 100 percent cotton with cardboard (not plastic) sticks
Advertisement
Personal Items
It might be a good idea to bury these items in your pile. Just sayin’.
37. Cardboard tampon applicator
Advertisement
38. Latex condoms, as long as they’re paraben- and chemical-free
From the Laundry Room
39. Dryer lint
40. Old/stained cotton clothing — rip or cut it into smaller pieces
Advertisement
41. Old wool clothing — rip or cut it into smaller pieces
From the Office
42. Bills and other documents you’ve shredded
43. Envelopes (minus the plastic window)
Advertisement
44. Pencil shavings
45. Sticky notes
46. Business cards (as long as they’re not glossy)
47. Receipts
Advertisement
Around the House
48. Contents of your vacuum cleaner bag or canister
49. Newspapers (shredded or torn into smaller pieces)
Advertisement
50. Subscription cards from magazines
51. Leaves trimmed from houseplants
52. Dead houseplants and their soil
53. Flowers from floral arrangements
54. Natural potpourri
55. Used matches. Unused matches, however, contain chemical components that can harm your plants.
56. Ashes from the fireplace, barbecue grill, or outdoor fire pit
Advertisement
Party and Holiday Supplies
57. Wrapping paper rolls
58. Paper table cloths
Advertisement
59. Crepe paper streamers
60. Wrapping paper, as long as it’s not glossy and doesn’t have a waxy, plastic or metallic coating or contain elements such as glitter
61. Raffia
62. Excelsior (those fine curled wood shavings used for packing fragile items) or other natural packing materials
63. Jack o’ Lanterns
64. Those hay bales you used as part of your outdoor fall decor
65. Natural holiday wreaths
66. Your Christmas tree. Chop it up with some pruners first (or use a wood chipper, if you have one…). Of course, your artificial tree has no place in your compost bin.
67. Evergreen garlands
Advertisement
Pet-Related
68. Fur from the dog or cat brush
69. Droppings and bedding from your rabbit/gerbil/hamsters, etc.
Advertisement
70. Newspaper/droppings from the bottom of the bird cage
71. Feathers
72. Alfalfa hay or pellets (usually fed to rabbits)
73. Rawhide dog chews
74. Fish food
75. Dry dog or cat food
I know that the longer I’ve had a compost pile, the more likely I’ve been to take a second look at something I was preparing to throw in the trash. “Hmm. Can I compost this?” is a frequent question in my house. And, as you can see, it’s surprising how often you can answer “Yes!”
Advertisement