How to Make Your Own Compost at Home: A Practical Guide for Beginners

In a world where sustainability is more urgent than ever, composting at home is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce your environmental impact. If you’ve ever wondered what to do with your kitchen waste, this guide will help you turn it into valuable natural fertilizer.

What is compost?

Compost is the result of a biological process in which microorganisms break down organic waste and turn it into fertile soil. This natural fertilizer improves soil health, reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, and contributes to a more circular life cycle.

Compost at Home

Why Should You Compost?

• Reduce your household waste: Up to 50% of the waste we generate at home is organic.

• Prevent greenhouse gas emissions: Organic waste in landfills produces methane, a powerful pollutant.

• Get free, natural fertilizer: Perfect for plants, gardens, and pots.

• Make use of compostable packaging: Some brands, like Gurpa Bio, create packaging that can safely be added to your compost.

  
  

What Do You Need to Get Started?

• A container with a lid (a bin, bucket, or compost bin will work)

• A well-ventilated space (a patio, balcony, or shaded corner)

• Organic waste from your kitchen and garden

• Patience (the process takes between 2 to 3 months)

  

  
  

  Step-by-Step Guide to Composting at Home

  
  

• Place your container in a well-ventilated, shaded area.

• Add your green (wet) and brown (dry) waste in layers.

• Aim for a 2:1 ratio – two parts dry to one part wet materials.

• Chop waste into small pieces to speed up decomposition.

• Stir the mix once a week to keep it oxygenated.

• Control moisture levels: it should feel like a damp sponge—not too dry, not dripping wet.

• Wait 2 to 3 months. When your compost smells like soil and has a dark, crumbly texture, it’s ready to use.

At Gurpa Bio, we design flexible compostable packaging—ideal for agri-food products seeking a real alternative to conventional plastic. Our packaging is made from certified materials that can biodegrade under composting conditions, helping to promote a circular economy.

Compostable Packaging