Want to make your own compost but don’t know where to start? It’s really easy and it is a great way of using some of  your food and garden waste as well as paper and card to make compost in your very garden.  It’s also great for making your garden more wildlife friendly!

You don’t need to buy a special compost bin, you can make your own composter using materials from your shed or garage such as a circle of chicken wire or even leftover wood scrap and pallets.

Watch the video from BBC Spring Watch on how to make a simple compost heap!

Visit Let’s compost now for handy tips and tricks for composting at home.

There are also some great tips on the Eden project website!

Getting the mix right

The trick for the perfect compost is to make a 50/50 mix of two types of materials: Green and brown.

Green items include:

• coffee grounds and filter paper
• grass cuttings
• hay from pets
• Hedge clippings
• old flowers and dead plants
• tea leaves and teabags
• Vegetable and fruit peelings
• withered flowers  and dead plants

Brown items include:

• cotton wool
• eggshells and cardboard egg boxes
• leaves and twigs
• paper bags
• shredded paper and small pieces of cardboard
• straw
• wood ash
• wood chippings

Don’t put these item  in your home compost bin:

• bread
• cigarette ends
• coal ash
• cooked food
• dairy products
• meat and fish scraps (including bones)
• nappies
• oil
• pet waste

As the heap builds up, turn it over regularly (at least once a month) to add air. It may take between 6 and 12 months until the heap resembles compost – so be patient!

Stamps

You’ve got mail! Used stamps from cards and parcels can be donated to some charities such as Macmillan Cancer Support, RNIB and Oxfam.  Just tear them off the envelope and start collecting!

Electrical items

If you have electrical items still in good reusable condition, whether it’s a toaster, a hairdryer or a lamp, you can donate them to some charity shops. If you have a broken electrical item why not see if you can get it repaired before replacing? Find a repair cafe near you. Or if it’s beyond repair, take it to your local Recycling Centre – never put electrical items in the bin!

Pens

We all have a surplus of pens scattered here, there and everywhere around the house but when we really need one we can never find one. If you have one too many pens or other stationery you can donate them to some charities and education projects.

Make up and toiletries

If you have any unused makeup or toiletry gift sets from Christmas and birthdays you can donate them to Elle for Elle which will help women and children in refuge accommodations. There are six drop off points in Greater Manchester.