Apartment Composting: 5 Easy Methods

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Apartment composting – is it doable?

Composting indoors is entirely doable, even without a backyard. With a little planning and the right tools, you can compost in your apartment, cut down on trash, and give back to the earth!

In this guide, I’ll cover 5 simple methods, including step-by-step instructions for each. You’ll learn what you need, how to get started, and the benefits of each. Let’s dive in!

Table of contents:

Why compost in an apartment?

Composting reduces landfill waste, nurtures your plants, and supports a cleaner environment. Plus, it’s an easy and practical way to handle food scraps when you don’t have a yard. When you compost, you’re:

• Reducing waste and lowering methane emissions in landfills. Btw, did you know that 36 times more potent than CO2 at trapping heat in the atmosphere? Yuiks.
• Creating nutrient-rich compost that can be used in your plants or garden.
• Saving money on store-bought fertilizers.
• Contributing to a sustainable, low-waste lifestyle.
  

What you can & can’t compost indoors

✅ Compostable items:	❌ Not compostable:
Fruit & veggie scraps	Meat, dairy, and bones (with some exceptions)
Coffee grounds, filters, and (plastic-free) tea bags	Oily and greasy foods
Grains, pasta, bread, eggshells	Pet waste
Paper, cardboard, and shredded newspaper	Moldy stuff
Hair, fur, and natural fibers	Diseased plants
Houseplants & dried flowers	Charcoal
Sawdust, hay, wood chips	Coal ash
Leaves and yard trimmings	Chemically treated yard waste

5 apartment-friendly composting methods:

1. Vermicomposting (worm bin)

Vermicomposting uses worms to break down food scraps into rich compost. It’s one of the most popular indoor composting methods, especially for apartments, because it’s low-maintenance and doesn’t require a lot of space. 

What you’ll need to start:

• Worm bin or container
• Red Wiggler worms
• Shredded newspaper, cardboard, or coconut coir for bedding
• Food scraps (fruit and vegetable peels, coffee grounds, etc.)
• Water to keep the bedding moist

Step-by-step guide for vermicomposting:

• Step 1: Choose a worm bin. You can buy a ready-made worm bin; great options include: the 2-tray vermicomposter bin, Worm Factory 360, or 5-tray worm composter, or DIY it – use plastic containers with holes for ventilation and drainage.
• Step 2: Get red Wigglers. These are the best composting worms. You’ll need about 1–2 pounds. If you start with 1 lb (453g), feed them about 0.5 lb (226g) of food scraps per day to avoid overfeeding.
• Step 3: Prepare bedding: Tear newspaper or cardboard into strips and soak them in water. The bedding should be moist like a wrung-out sponge—never soggy. You can also use materials like egg cartons, straws, sawdust, or fallen leaves.
• Step 4: Add food scraps. Start with small amounts of chopped fruit and vegetable scraps. Bury the scraps under bedding to reduce smells and fruit flies.
• Step 5: Maintain the bin. Keep it in a cool, shaded indoor spot. Check moisture and add more bedding if things get too wet. Stir gently once a week if needed.
• Step 6: Harvest the compost. Every few months, dark, crumbly compost will be ready. You can either: Move worms to one side of the bin and harvest from the other, or relocate worms to a fresh bin and collect the finished compost.

Tips:

• Keep your worm bin in a cool, dark place like under the kitchen sink or in a basement.
• Always maintain a balance of green (food scraps) and brown (paper, leaves) materials. Too much green material can cause odors and attract pests.
• Avoid feeding worms too much at once. Feed them small amounts to allow them to break down the material.
• Ensure your bedding is moist but not soaking wet. Add water as needed to keep it damp, not soggy.
• Keep the bin between 55°F and 77°F. Too hot or too cold will harm the worms.

2. Bokashi composting (fermentation system)

Bokashi composting is a unique method that ferments food scraps, including meat, dairy, and cooked foods, which are usually not suitable for regular composting. After 2-3 weeks of fermentation, the pre-compost can be buried in soil or added to an outdoor compost system to finish breaking down.

What you’ll need to start:

• Bokashi bin (airtight with a spigot)
• Bokashi bran (fermentation starter), or learn how to make DIY Bokashi bran here
• A warm, dark space for fermentation

You can buy a Bokashi starter kit (container + bran) or a more full Bokashi kit here.

Step-by-step guide for Bokashi composting:

1. Get a Bokashi bin: This is an airtight bin that you can find online or in stores. It should come with a spigot to drain off any liquid (called leachate).
2. Add Bokashi bran: Bokashi bran is a special mix of microorganisms that aid in the fermentation process. You’ll sprinkle a layer of the bran at the bottom of the bin.
3. Add food scraps: Layer food scraps in the bin, adding a little more bran on top of each layer. Press down to remove air pockets.
4. Seal the bin: Once it’s full, seal the bin and let it ferment for about two weeks. The fermentation process should occur in a dark, warm place.
5. After fermentation: Once the compost is fermented, you can either bury it in your garden (it’ll break down quickly in soil) or add it to a traditional composting pile.
   

Tips:

• After filling your Bokashi bin, let it ferment for about 1-2 weeks. Then, let the compost rest for another 2 weeks to fully complete the process.
• Be sure to layer your kitchen scraps with Bokashi bran to prevent odors and mold. Add the bran after each food scrap layer.
• Ensure your bin isn’t too wet. Drain off any excess liquid daily, as it may become too soupy and smell bad.
• Keep your Bokashi bin in a dark, cool place, like a cupboard or pantry, away from direct sunlight.

3. Compost tumblers (outdoor method)

If you have access to a small balcony, patio, or even a sunny corner outdoors, a compost tumbler is an excellent, low-maintenance option for composting your kitchen scraps. Unlike traditional compost piles or bins, tumblers are fully enclosed and mounted on a frame, which makes them easy to rotate – helping to aerate the contents and accelerate the composting process.

Miracle-Gro Small Composter is ideal for patios or balconies and has a capacity of 27.7 gallons (105 liters). Its compact footprint doesn’t take up much space, and the single-chamber design is simple to use and great for beginners. 

What you’ll need to start:

• Compost tumbler
• Food scraps (fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, etc.)
• Access to a small outdoor space (e.g., balcony or patio)

Step-by-step guide for compost tumblers:

1. Set up a compost tumbler: Choose a tumbler that fits your space and budget.
2. Add food scraps: Add fruit peels, veggie scraps, coffee grounds, and other compostable materials.
3. Turn the tumbler: Rotate the tumbler every few days to aerate the compost and speed up decomposition.
4. Harvest the compost: In about 2-3 weeks, your compost should be ready to use in your garden or for houseplants.
   

Tips:

• Rotate your tumbler every few days to mix the compost. This helps aerate the pile and speeds up decomposition.
• Use a mix of “greens” (kitchen scraps) and “browns” (dry leaves, cardboard) to maintain the right carbon-to-nitrogen ratio.
• Keep your compost moist but not wet. Add water if it looks dry or add dry materials if it’s too wet.
• Place your tumbler on a level surface to ensure proper drainage and airflow.

4. Electric composters

If you’re looking for a fast, low-effort method, electric composters like the Lomi or Vitamix FoodCycler might be your best bet. These units break down food scraps into nutrient-rich material in just a few hours. Here’s a quick list of some of the most common electric composters for home use:

• Vitamix FoodCycler FC-50 
• Vego Electric Composter 
• Electirc composter by Fylecen 

What you’ll need to start:

• Electric composter (e.g., Lomi or Vitamix FoodCycler)
• Food scraps (fruit peels, coffee grounds, etc.)
• Power source

Step-by-step guide for electric composting:

1. Purchase an electric composter: Choose a countertop model that suits your budget and needs.
2. Add scraps: Place food scraps like fruit peels, coffee grounds, and veggie scraps into the composter.
3. Set the machine: Turn on the machine and let it process the scraps. Most units have different modes for composting, depending on how fine or dry you want the final product.
4. Harvest the compost: After the cycle finishes, the machine will produce a dried, ground-up version of the scraps. You can use this for your indoor plants or add it to your garden.

Tips:

• Some electric composters are sensitive to large bones, dairy, and oils. Always check the manufacturer’s guidelines.
• Clean the machine every couple of weeks to prevent odor and build-up.
• Electric composters offer fast results, typically in under 24 hours. Ensure you’re using the machine regularly to prevent food scraps from piling up.
• After the cycle, consider leaving the compost to dry out a bit before use. This helps it break down further and improves its texture.

5. Pre-composting & collection methods

If you don’t want to actively compost indoors but still want to minimize waste, you can use pre-composting methods to collect food scraps until you’re ready to dispose of them.

What you’ll need to start:

Countertop collection:

• Kitchen compost bin with a charcoal filter
• Food scraps (fruit and vegetable scraps, coffee grounds, etc.)
• A local composting facility or curbside pickup service
• Countertop compost bin pick: Epica bin or Lalastar bin
  

Blender composting:

• Powerful blender
• Food scraps
• Water
• A compost pile or garden bed
• Blender compost bin pick: Oxo bin
  

Freezer composting:

• Freezer-safe container
• Food scraps
• A local composting facility or curbside pickup service
• Freezer compost bin pick: Airnex collapsible bin or Full Circle freezer bin 

Step-by-step guide for pre-composting & collection:

• Countertop collection:
  
  1. Get a kitchen compost bin: A countertop compost bin with a charcoal filter will help contain odors.
  2. Collect scraps: Place fruit peels, vegetable trimmings, and other compostable scraps in the bin.
  3. Empty regularly: You can drop the collected scraps off at a local composting site or arrange for curbside compost pickup.
     
• Blender composting:
  
  1. Blend scraps: Blend food scraps with a little water to create a slurry.
  2. Compost outdoors: Add the slurry directly to your outdoor compost pile or garden bed to speed up decomposition.
     
• Freezer composting:
  
  1. Store scraps in the freezer: Place food scraps in a freezer-safe container and freeze them until you can take them to a composting facility.
  2. Drop off at a facility: Find a local composting facility that accepts frozen food scraps or use a curbside pickup service.

TL;DR – Comparison table

Here’s a quick table comparing the 5 apartment-friendly composting methods – covering space needed, composting time, and key pros and cons – so you can find the one that fits your lifestyle best:

Method	Space needed	Time to compost	Pros	Cons
Vermicompost	Small (indoor)	2–3 months	Low odor, compact, low maintenance	Needs worm care, no meat/dairy
Bokashi	Very small	2–4 weeks (ferment) + bury	Handles all food, no smell indoors	Requires post-fermentation burying
Compost tumbler	Small balcony/patio	1–3 months	Easy to turn, faster than static bins	Needs outdoor space, can be bulky
Electric composter	Countertop	Hours to days	Fast, odor-free, minimal effort	Expensive, uses electricity
Pre-composting	Very small	N/A (for drop-off)	Easy, no composting required	Needs access to drop-off or service

Download my FREE eBook! 🌿

Wanna dive deeper? I created a free e-book on composting, that includes a detailed breakdown of each method, plus tips, troubleshooting, and expert advice on apartment composting. It’s available for free at the Almost Zero Waste Hub member’s area.

Final thoughts

Composting indoors is a sustainable and easy way to manage food scraps while living in an apartment. 

Whether you choose a worm bin, Bokashi system, or electric composter, there’s a method that fits your space and lifestyle. 

Don’t forget – composting doesn’t have to be complicated. Start small, and experiment to find what works best for you!