30 Best Cheap & Easy DIY Compost Bins. Reduce Waste and Save Money!

This DIY composter is great if you’re short on outside space as it only requires a 5-gallon bucket and a small stainless steel bin. Even better, you only need a few simple tools and it takes just an hour to build. You’ll be composting your veggie peels and eggshells in no time.

One of the greatest things about using a cardboard box as a compost bin is that it’s biodegradable. This makes it a great starter bin for your compost, which will break down over time as your pile gets bigger while adding more carbon to your compost in the process. You’ll need a thicker cardboard box for this, but your supermarket is likely to have some you can take for free if you ask.

Don’t have the greatest construction skills? You don’t need them for this homemade compost bin. It’s made from a few pieces of scrap wood and some chicken wire that can be picked up really cheaply at any hardware store. You’ll be surprised at how well this bin holds the heat and it’s easy to turn your compost thanks to the open design.

Now we know that not everyone has straw bales lying around, but if you do - perhaps as old fall decorations - you can use them to create a quick and easy compost bin. Simply stack your hay bales to your desired size and shape right on the ground and get composting. The straw bales will help insulate your bin, resulting in quicker usable compost.

This DIY project is actually for a raised flower bed, but it will also make a great and attractive compost bin. It’s made by weaving willow rods around sturdy wooden poles to create a gorgeous basket shape.

For a more permanent compost bin, try making one out of leftover cinder blocks or concrete blocks. You can make your bin larger or smaller depending on your needs and utilize the existing holes in the blocks for ventilation. Genius, don’t you think?

Do you have an old trash can or garbage can lying around? Don’t throw it away, reuse and recycle it into a compost bin. It’s so easy to do, just rinse out the bin so it’s clean of any non-compostable material, and drill some holes that span the width and length of the bin for aeration. Better yet, it already has a lid for maintaining heat and moisture and keeping the critters out.

Make use of that old coffee can, by turning it into a kitchen counter compost bin. All you need to do is drill a few holes in the lid and it is ready to take your daily food waste. Just make sure you empty it into an outside compost bin at the end of every day, to prevent the bin from being a bit smelly.

There are dozens of ways to upcycle old tires and this composter is one of them when combined with an old metal drum. No manual rotation is necessary. Just roll it around every few days to stir the compost. If you have children, I bet they will be willing volunteers.

You may need a little help from a DIY-savvy friend with this homemade compost bin, but it will be worth the effort. It involves a metal drum with a hinged door cut into the side, then set to revolve, which makes it super easy to rotate your compost. Plus, if you place a wheelbarrow under the drum and perforate the area of the drum above it, ready-to-use compost will collect in your wheelbarrow. Once the barrow is full, just wheel it out into your garden to use.

Vermicomposting i.e. worm composting is a great way to make a cheap, nutrient-rich fertilizer for your garden. Worm composters are so easy to make - you could just use a storage bin with a few ventilation holes, and of course, your worms. Take a look at this guide for more information.

An upcycled wine barrel makes a great and stunning tumbling composter, especially if it has been handled as well as this one. The dark stained wood and the polished metalwork, make this composter look more like a garden ornament than a composter. Plus, it rotates too, for easy aeration and mixing of your compost.

Invented by a keen organic gardener, the Californian Cylinder composter involves digging a clever X-shaped trench beneath your bin, which provides excellent aeration for your compost. Quick to construct and cheap to build, no specialist woodworking skills are required and you’re likely to have the materials needed lurking in your garden shed or garage.

Made out of zip ties and repurposed wooden pallets - that can often be picked up for free - this nifty compost bin can be made in less than an hour. Better yet, you don’t need to worry about aeration, thanks to the open structure of the pallets. Fast, pretty much free, and allows you to compost a large amount of material...perfect!

If you have some leftover lumber this is the perfect compost bin DIY project for you. The tutorial comes complete with all the measurements you need, but you can alter the dimensions based on your needs and the space you have available. As you have two bins, it’s easy to organize your compost by keeping your finished compost in one bin, while the other is still decomposing.

Compost needs to be stirred regularly and this drum-style composter makes it really easy to do. The drum rotates so your compost can breathe which helps aerate your compost and reduces odor. It may look complicated, but it’s surprisingly easy, quick, and cheap to build.

If you don’t have a lot of outdoor space, this DIY indoor compost bin is perfect for you, if you can handle a little bit of sewing. It's easy to build and has a handy tray at the bottom for catching the compost once it is done. You don’t have to worry about compost smells as the addition of worms prevents the odors you usually get from decomposition.

This clever, but deceptively simple design, has all you need from a compost bin - sturdy construction, access to the soil at the bottom, and a latching lid to help maintain moisture and aerate your compost heap as needed. Check out the complete step-by-step tutorial, which includes helpful photos and drawings.

These attractive compost bins have been made out of cedar wood boards and chicken wire, for sturdy bins that are well aerated. In an ingenious design feature, the bottom board of the bin can be easily removed to access the fine fertilizer from the bottom of the compost heap.

Have an old plastic storage bin? Don’t send it to a landfill, turn it into a compact compost bin with minimal effort and no cost. All you need to do is drill a few holes in the bin to allow the air to circulate and you’re ready to start composting. If you don’t have a plastic container, you can pick one up for just a few dollars - way cheaper than buying a compost bin from the hardware store.

If you have the space for it and a large garden of plants to feed, you might consider this 3-compartment compost bin system. It really isn’t that difficult to build and has clever removable slats in the front for easy access to rotate and harvest your compost, as well as plenty of air holes. It holds a huge amount of compost, so you’ll never be short of a nutrient-rich growing medium for your plants.

We love this simple but effective tumbler-style DIY composter, which is constructed from a wooden frame and a garbage can with aeration holes and a hinged opening. You could even add some wheels to the bottom of the frame, to make it easy to wheel around your garden, instead of having to decant the compost into a wheelbarrow or bucket separately.

Who knew composting bins could be so stylish? This rotatable and stackable composting station is constructed out of terracotta pots and planters. Not only are the pots incredibly attractive, but also terracotta absorbs excess humidity and fluid, which is produced during the composting process. Plus, the addition of gorgeous lids will help keep bugs and critters away.

You might feel a little bit perturbed by the idea of having a compost bin in your house, this one will be odor-free, so you won't even know it’s there. It can be made from any plastic container and is the perfect DIY compost bin for beginners.

If you have some chickens, why not put them to work helping with your composting? Their feet make the perfect compost turning tools, they have an insatiable urge to scratch, and not to forget their built-in dispensers of organic-rich material...if you know what we mean. This tutorial will show you how to make a three-stage compost bin that allows your chicken friends to get involved.

As this DIY compost bin is made from old milk crates and not much else, it’s super easy to build. All you need to do is stack three crates, cover the bottom of each one, and create a lid, and you have an efficient rotating compost bin. The open weave structure of the milk crate means you won’t even need to make air holes.

This tutorial shows you a way to make your own compost barrel, cheaply and easily. All you need is a pop-up garden refuse bin - which you may already have in your shed - and material for the bottom, such as an old yoga mat or rug. An old raincoat or something similar can be used for a lid, which makes this a great project to cut down on waste.

If you have some old bricks lying around in the backyard this decorative compost bin idea is perfect for you. A wireframe top and opening are added for compost access and airflow, while the bricks create a sturdy bin, which will last for years. Basic bricklaying skills may be required, but the end result is definitely worth the extra labor.

Aerating your compost bin can be a bit of a challenge sometimes, but not with this compost cage. PVC pipes are pierced with holes and stuck through the pile so it sticks out at each end. This allows air to flow through your compost pile with ease. Quick compost with minimal effort.

We finish our list of the best DIY compost bin ideas with the simplest idea of them all...the open compost pile. You don’t technically need to build a bin to compost at home. You can actually create a compost pile anywhere in your yard, which is really easy to mix and monitor.