Free Printable List of Compost Items (130+ Materials)
Download a Free Printable Compost List with 130+ compostable items! Learn what organic materials you can add to your compost heap for a thriving garden.

Are you new to composting and wondering what organic materials you can or can’t add to your compost heap? No worries!
I’ve created a Free Printable List of Compost Items featuring 130+ compostable materials to help you easily identify what to add to your backyard compost pile.
What’s in the Free Printable List of Compost Items
This free printable compost list is a valuable resource for anyone starting a compost heap. It provides a variety of ingredients and breaks down compostable items into green waste (nitrogen-rich) or brown material (carbon-rich).
Here’s a look at some of the materials included on the list:
Food Scraps
​Food waste, such as kitchen scraps, is one of the best ways to start your home compost pile. These organic waste items break down quickly, adding essential nutrients to your compost.
- Apple cores
- Banana peels
- Coffee grounds
- Egg shells
- Pasta, bread, and rice
- Clam shells and nut shells
- Fruit pits
- Legumes
- Leafy greens
- Tea leaves
- Seaweed
- Lemon and orange peels (acidic boost)
- Coffee and tea (nitrogen-rich)
Household Waste
Adding compost materials from your home is a great way to reduce waste. Shredded paper, cardboard, and even cotton or wool items can balance your regular compost pile by contributing carbon-rich materials.
- Bills and shredded paper
- Cardboard and paper towels
- Pizza boxes
- Newspapers and paper bags
- Cotton and wool items
- Tea bags and coffee filters
- Egg cartons
- Corks
Yard/Garden Waste
Your own yard is a goldmine for composting materials. Yard trimmings, grass clippings, and dead leaves are essential for maintaining a healthy compost heap.
- Dead leaves and garden trimmings
- Grass clippings
- Wood shavings and small branches
- Flowers and twigs
- Untreated sawdust
Animal Waste
Animal-based compostable items, like herbivore manure and bedding, can enrich your pile with organic acids and nutrients.
- Herbivore manure (chickens, cows, rabbits)
- Animal bedding
- Dry dog/cat food
- Feathers
- Fish scraps
What NOT to Compost
Some items are considered hazardous waste for your compost pile. Adding these can lead to smelly compost, attract pests, or introduce weed seeds and plant diseases.
- Plastic bags
- Dead animals
- Meat and dairy products
- Foods with sauces or cooking oil
- Diseased plants
- Cat litter and pet waste (dog or cat feces)
- Synthetic fibers
Download the Printable List of Compost Items Now
To get our free printable compost list, just enter your email below. Once submitted, you’ll receive the 6-page list directly in your inbox.
Want to learn more about composting methods and tips for managing a backyard compost pile or small space? Check out my Composting for Beginners Guide.
You’ll find helpful tips for managing moisture content, avoiding unpleasant odors, and creating the ideal conditions for faster, healthier decomposition.
Download More Free Gardening Tools
Take your gardening skills to the next level with these free resources designed to help you plan, grow, and succeed:
- Seed Starting Chart: Plan your planting schedule and start your seeds at the perfect time for a bountiful harvest.
- Companion Planting Chart: Discover which plants grow best together to boost your garden’s health and productivity.
- Gardening Journal: Keep track of your growth progress, planting dates, and seasonal notes to create your best garden yet.
Gold for your garden is exactly right!! Thank you for such a comprehensive and useful post. I look forward to your next one.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
I didn’t realize that bread, rice, and pasta are compostable. I thought that starchy things were bad for it. Thanks for this info!
Yep! As long as they aren’t mixed with sauces or oils. I recently published an article all about composting pasta if you want to learn more (the same rules apply to rice): https://thehomesteadingway.com/can-you-compost-pasta-heres-what-you-need-to-know/
This is a very helpful post for those getting into composting. I am planning to start a compost pile soon, and I had a few questions that are now answered. Thanks for sharing!
Glad you found it helpful!
Hi Lisa,
I have a question about the plastic in paper towels. Isn’t it a toxic chemical?
Hey there! Great question. Actually, paper towels don’t contain plastic; they’re made from wood pulp, which is natural, so they’re compost-friendly. But, they can’t be recycled because their fibers are too short. On the flip side, paper plates often contain a plastic coating, which means they can’t be composted or recycled. Hope that helps clarify things for you!