Anybody that has a composting bin or compost pile at their house knows that old apple cores, banana peels and potato skins can be composted. But many people who compost at home are unaware of the sheer vastness of every day waste that can easily be thrown in their compost bin.

For example, did you know that you can compost an old tea bag? Old spices? Pencil shavings? How about sticky notes? Yes, each of those items can be composted!

In fact, there are many items that you can compost, and the following list will get you started with the first ninety-nine. And the best news? If everyone began to compost at home on a regular basis, the world’s landfills would be drastically reduced.

The basics of composting are simple. Almost anything natural or plant-based can be composted; just don’t add meat or a lot of fat, because as they decompose, they will create a smell that will bring every critter for miles to your yard!

Always remember that an effective compost pile is a careful balance of dry or brown things that contain carbon (like leaves or paper) and wet or green things that contain nitrogen (like food scraps or rabbit droppings). So, for example, if you add a lot of shredded paper or cardboard to the pile, you will need to balance it with a nice heap of fresh grass clippings or horse manure, and probably some water from the hose so things don’t get too dry.

And, don’t forget that the smaller you can shred or chop your compostable items before you put them into the pile, the faster and more evenly they will decompose. It’s really worth the extra effort to chop and shred if you plan to use your compost for vegetable gardening, or, simply compost tough, slow things like tree branches and old rope in a separate pile.

The following list is meant to get you thinking about your compost possibilities. Imagine how much trash we could prevent from going into the landfills if each of us just decided to compost a few more things!

The Basics:

1. All organic vegetable and fruit matter including rinds, skins, shells, seeds, cores and peels
2. Old leaves & hay
3. Used coffee grounds
4. Paper coffee filters
5. Grass clippings
6. Egg shells

Unique Every Day Items

1. Tea bags
2. Peat moss
3. Tree bark
4. Old flowers
5. Garden soil
6. Old top soil
7. Old bread
8. Wheat bran
9. Cooked grains
10. Olive pits
11. Pencil shavings
12. Dust bunnies
13. Toothpicks
14. Business cards (Paper)
15. Natural wine corks
16. Toilet paper rolls
17. Wrapping paper rolls
18. Old loose leaf tea leaves
19. Dried brown garden weeds (avoid composting weeds that go to seed)
20. Spices and herbs that have lost their smell
21. Nut shells (except walnut shells, which contain a chemical that can be toxic to plants)
22. Wood chips and sawdust
23. Soy products
24. Wine and beer-making wastes
25. Old dry cereals, crackers, chips, cookies, etc.
26. 100% cotton swabs and Q-tips (do not compost plastic sticks)
27. Wood fire ashes from grill or fire-place (also from smoking fish and other meats)
28. Dirt in soles of shoes
29. Facial tissues (unless soiled with chemical products)
30. Old milk, ice cream, cream, etc. (in limited amounts)
31. 100% cotton clothing (ripped into small pieces)
32. 100% wool clothing (ripped into small pieces)
33. Raffia decorations
34. Crepe paper streamers
35. Broken-down cereal boxes
36. Natural wreaths, garlands and other natural holiday decor
37. Chopped up Christmas trees
38. Used Fabric sheets from the dryer

Non-Organic Compostable Items

1. Paper bags (ripped into smaller pieces)
2. Old Post-it Notes
3. Any form of paper that has been soiled by food
4. Pizza boxes (make sure to break them down into small pieces)
5. Shredded newspapers
6. Used paper plates without wax coatings
7. Old mail and bills (make sure not to compost envelopes with the plastic windows)
8. Paper or wood-based matches
9. Animal manure and droppings
10. Paper towels and towel rolls
11. Leather belts, shoes, wallets, gloves (best if the leather is fairly old, as it will degrade slowly)
12. Elmer’s glue
13. Used masking tape
14. Jell-O (gelatin)
15. Paper muffin and cupcake cups
16. Cage cleanings from small pets such as Guinea pigs, rabbits, birds and iguanas
17. Labels
18. Price tags
19. Stale candy (remove wrapper, of course!)
20. Cardboard and paper egg cartons
21. Cardboard tampon applicators
22. The boxes that surround many forms of cheeses
23. Pure cellophane bags
24. Paper Envelopes from your mail (Shredded up)
25. Shredded catalogs and magazines (unless they have a very waxy cover)
26. Chewing gum

Weird Stuff You Can Compost

1. Feathers
2. Old rope
3. Stale catnip
4. Dryer lint
5. Dead houseplants
6. Star fish (dead)
7. Old Halloween pumpkins
8. Electric razor trimmings
9. Finger and toe nail clippings
10. Hair – Both human and animal hair is compostable
11. Ground bone and blood meal
12. Old rawhide dog chews
13. Old dog/cat foods
14. Small pets that have died, like goldfish (Not recommended, but possible.)
15. Urine (although can be quite smelly in the summer sun)
16. Old cheeses
17. Latex condoms and balloons
18. Old beer, wine and liquor
19. Crustacean shells (shrimp, crab, lobster, etc.)
20. Tobacco wastes
21. Bamboo products
22. Old fish food
23. Sheepskin condoms
24. Shower loofahs (made from natural materials, such as sea sponge)
25. Vacuum cleaner bag waste
26. Granite dust
27. Dolomite lime
28. Liquid from canned fruits and vegetables
29. Pure soap scraps