c/apartment-composting

The basement bin I kept for 6 years finally clicked

Back in 2018 I started with a plain 5 gallon bucket in my studio in Chicago. No holes, no carbon mix, just banana peels and coffee grounds sitting wet. That thing got rank by day three and I nearly quit. Then my building super mentioned using shredded paper from the mail room as the brown layer. Now I keep two stacked bins, one for greens and one for paper, and I rotate them every Sunday. Has anyone else found that the simple setup works better than the fancy tumblers?

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the_alex•4d ago

Vent: 8 months to figure out my bokashi bin was too airtight

Started composting last January in my studio and kept getting this sour, pickled smell even though I followed the layering steps perfectly. Turns out my bin had a gasket that sealed too well, so the good microbes couldn't breathe and everything just fermented into a sludgy mess. Drilled 4 small holes in the lid last week and it finally smells like soil, anyone else fight with airflow for way too long?

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anna177•5d ago

Bokashi bin sloshed everywhere during my 3rd week, still smells like pickles

I had the drainage spigot loose and when I tipped the bucket to pour off the liquid, it dumped all over my kitchen mat and the landlord's carpet edge in Chicago. Has anyone else had a leaky bokashi moment and figured out a better way to drain it without a mess?

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fiona130•12d ago

Landlord saw my worm bin and left a passive-aggressive note, now what?

I keep a small 5-gallon worm bin on my balcony, tucked behind a plant. It's sealed, no smell, I've done this for 2 years. Two days ago my landlord slid a note under my door saying 'no outdoor storage containers without approval' with a photo of the bin. They didn't say to remove it, just wanted approval. I emailed them explaining it's compost for my houseplants, not trash. They replied 'we'll discuss at inspection next month.' Has anyone dealt with a landlord who got weird about vermicomposting? Should I just move it inside or fight this?

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rubys19•14d ago

My kitchen counter compost bin got a total reset after 12 days

I kept ignoring the smell and fruit flies figuring it was just part of the process. Then I moved my bin from under the sink to a spot near my window in Astoria and started adding a cardboard layer every morning. The difference was night and day, the moisture leveled out and the flies basically vanished within a week. Has anyone else found that location matters more than the bin type for indoor compost? I'm curious if it was pure luck or if air flow really is that big.

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leo_lopez•15d ago

My countertop bin finally smells like soil, not rot

After 6 months of apartment composting in a 2 bedroom in Austin, I switched to adding a handful of shredded cardboard with every layer of scraps, and this morning the bin actually had that earthy smell instead of sour trash. I opened it expecting the usual gag, but it just smelled like a garden after rain, which felt huge for me in a space with zero outdoor access. Has anyone else found that adding dry stuff at the same time as food changes the odor that fast, or am I just getting lucky with the weather?

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the_jana•17d ago

That $60 compost tumbler turned into a slimy nightmare in my closet

I bought one of those compact electric composters off Amazon back in March, thinking it would be perfect for my studio in Austin. It kept everything sealed and quiet, but after 6 weeks the motor burned out and left a weird sludge that smelled like rotten potatoes. Has anyone else gotten one of these that just died, or should I stick to a worm bin instead?

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jason11•17d ago

My countertop bin went from stinky to smell-free after I changed one thing

I used to empty my little compost bucket every 2 days because it reeked of rotting food, especially in July when my apartment hit 85 degrees. Then I started wrapping each day's scraps in a sheet of newspaper before tossing them in, and now it barely smells even after 5 days. Anyone else found a cheap trick like this that made a big difference for their apartment setup?

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davis.emma•18d ago

Found a worm bin setup at a community garden in Portland that made sense

I stopped by the community garden on 28th and Hoyt last weekend and noticed they had a shared worm bin for apartment folks. Someone had set it up with a 5-gallon bucket and a spigot at the bottom, so you can drain the liquid without digging through everything. They also had a sign saying you can drop off food scraps once a week, which was way simpler than my indoor bin. The person running it said the key was soaking the bedding with a spray bottle every 3 days, not just dumping water in. I tried that with my own bin this week and my worms actually stopped clustering at the top. Has anyone else tried a community drop-off point instead of managing worms indoors full time?

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sean_perry•19d ago

Why did nobody warn me about fruit flies before this?

I started a small bokashi bin in my studio apartment three months ago. I thought I had it all figured out with a tight lid and a carbon filter. But somehow hatchlings were everywhere by week two, and I spent another month chasing them with vinegar traps. It took me until week six to realize I was leaving the bin open for too long while adding scraps. That simple fix cut the swarm down by like 90 percent. Has anyone else battled these tiny monsters in a tiny kitchen?

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stone.troy•23d ago

I finally stopped chasing the perfect bin after one comment

Someone in this group told me to stop using a fancy $60 worm bin and just use a 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled in it. I fought it for weeks because I thought the fancy one would be cleaner. Then my bucket got fruit flies so bad my neighbor complained twice. I switched to a DIY setup with a tight lid and a carbon filter patch, and it's been way easier. The trick was burying scraps under a full inch of shredded paper every time. Anyone else get stuck on gear when the simple fix was right there?

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amy_murphy15•24d ago

My $15 countertop bin now lives in the fridge

I dropped $15 on a stainless steel mini bin, tried it on the counter for three weeks, and the fruit flies were so bad I moved it into the fridge, now zero smell or bugs, but does anyone else deal with soggy paper liner issues in the cold?

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oscarmurray•26d ago

Worm bin vs Bokashi after 4 months in a 500 sq ft studio

I thought Bokashi was just pickle buckets and hype, but after 4 months in my place off Ventura Blvd, the fermented scraps break down in 2 weeks and my worm bin cant handle half the citrus and onions that Bokashi eats, anyone else ditch worms for the bucket route?

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foster.oscar•27d ago

My $6 mesh bag hack beat the worm bin I built last spring

I was sure a real worm bin was the only way to compost in my studio. Spent 40 bucks on a plastic tote and drilled holes, but the smell drove me nuts and fruit flies took over. Last month I switched to a mesh produce bag hanging by my sink, tossing scraps in and shaking it once a day. Dried it out in 2 weeks with zero odor, and the worms I kept in the bin are now just doing fine in a smaller jar. Anyone else had more luck with the lazy method than the fancy setup?

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val_wilson•27d ago

Took me 2 years to realize the worms were escaping through the drain holes

Started composting in my 4th floor walkup in Portland back in 2021. Set up a worm bin, thought I had it all figured out. Kept finding dead worms around the base and on the floor. Replaced bedding, changed feeding times, even tried different moisture levels. Nothing worked. Finally last month I took the bin apart completely and saw the little holes I drilled were way too big. The worms were squeezing out every night, drying up on the linoleum. Covered them with window screen material and not a single escape since. Has anyone else had a simple fix like that take way longer than it should have? What was your "aha" moment with your bin?

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robert248•1mo ago

My bokashi bin smelled like a dead animal after 2 weeks - here's what I did wrong

I started a bokashi bin in my studio apartment near downtown Austin about a month ago. Thought I was following the directions perfectly but after 2 weeks the smell was so bad my neighbor knocked on my door. Turns out I wasn't pressing the food down enough and letting too much air get in. Has anyone else dealt with their indoor compost getting funky and found a fix that actually works without buying extra stuff?

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rowan262•1mo ago

Why I started freezing my coffee grounds before adding them to the bin

My apartment compost was getting super stinky and attracting fruit flies no matter what I did. On a whim I started tossing my used coffee grounds into a ziploc bag in the freezer overnight before adding them to my countertop bin. Now it stays way less gross and the ground coffee gets mixed in slower plus the cold slows down the rot. Has anyone else tried pre-chilling their greens like this or am I just making extra work for myself?

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barbara_butler•1mo ago

Visited my old apartment building last week and saw the compost bin I started 5 years ago is still being used by the tenants

I stopped by to pick up a package and noticed the same 5 gallon bucket with the same sticker I put on it is still sitting in the corner of the parking garage, got me wondering how many pounds of scraps that little setup has handled since I moved out.

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the_brian•1mo ago

My worm bin went sour and I almost gave up on composting

I live in a studio apartment in Austin and started a worm bin last spring. Everything was going fine until about two months in when I noticed a weird smell coming from under my sink. I opened the bin and found a slimy, gray mess with fruit flies buzzing everywhere. Turns out I was adding too many citrus peels and not enough dry bedding. I had to remove all the rotting material, rinse the worms gently in cool water, and start fresh with shredded newspaper and cardboard. It took about a week for the bin to settle down, but the worms survived and are back to producing good castings. Has anyone else had a bin go anaerobic on them and find a quick fix that worked?

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charlie269•1mo ago

Bought a $40 countertop composter and it smells like a wet dog in my kitchen

I grabbed one of those little electric composters off Amazon last month, thought it would be a game changer for my studio apartment. It was the Lomi brand, $400 on sale but I went with a cheaper knockoff for $40. After three uses the motor started grinding weird and the lid doesn't seal right anymore so fruit flies got in. Anyone else try a budget composter and regret it, or did I just pick a dud brand?

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andrewh95•1mo ago

Spent 4 months trying to fix a smelly bokashi bin

I kept getting this rotten egg smell from my bokashi bucket in my studio apartment. Turns out I wasn't draining the liquid every 3 days like the instructions said. Has anyone else dealt with a smell that just wouldn't go away?

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wendyk63•1mo ago

Unpopular opinion: bokashi bins are better than worm bins for small apartments

My worm bin got fruit flies and smelled so bad in my studio near downtown Austin that I switched to a bokashi bucket and now I just bury the fermented scraps in my friend's backyard every two weeks - has anyone else stopped dealing with worms altogether?

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joelfoster•1mo ago

Got a weird tip from my neighbor about using coffee filters in the bin

My downstairs neighbor saw me struggling with fruit flies last Tuesday and said to line the bottom of my countertop compost bucket with a coffee filter, and it actually stopped the gnats from breeding in the drainage holes, has anyone else tried this hack?

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jason11•1mo ago

My neighbor swore by putting citrus peels in the compost... not what I expected

I live in a 2nd floor walkup in Portland and started composting about 6 months ago. My downstairs neighbor, who has a bin on her balcony, told me to toss orange and lemon peels in no problem. Said they break down fine. Well after 3 weeks my bin started smelling super weird and had these white fuzzy patches. I looked it up and apparently citrus can throw off the pH balance if you add too much at once. I had like 6 peels in there from juicing. Had to dump the whole thing and start over. Anyone else get bad advice from well meaning neighbors?

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coleman.henry•1mo ago

Appreciation post: My worm bin finally stopped smelling after I added shredded cardboard

I was about to give up on vermicomposting because my bin reeked like rotten eggs every week. Tried adding a layer of shredded cardboard on top of every food scrap addition, and within 3 days the smell disappeared. Anyone else have a simple fix that turned their bin around?

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