Did you know that June 5th is World Environment Day? I'm embarrassed to admit that I didn't until learning it was the theme for our Int'l Bloggers Club challenge this month. I hemmed and hawed on what I could do to commemorate the day before realizing, "wait a minute, I've already made it".

This was the perfect opportunity to share our DIY eco-friendly rainwater barrel and compost bin system at the side of our house. We've been collecting rainwater and composting food waste for years. Plus this was a great excuse to clean the outside of the barrels, spruce up the spigot, and do some weeding in this area of our small urban yard.

DIY Rain Water Barrel and Compost Bin

The compost bin not only helps reduce landfill waste but provides rich organic matter for our raised garden beds, reducing the need for chemical fertilizer.

The rain barrel keeps our garden and bedding plants watered with fresh clean rainwater all summer long. What's even better about this eco-friendly urban backyard system is that it cost next to nothing to make and I'll show you how.

If you haven't heard of our Int'l Bloggers Club, we are a group of blogging friends from around the globe who come together on the third Monday of every month to share a themed DIY project. Links to my uber-talented friend's world environment day projects are included further down in the post.

We have members from Spain, South Africa, Australia, the USA, and Canada. Last month for our black & white challenge I upcycled a handmade stacking keepsake box to use as a desk organizer in my home office makeover on a $400 budget.

What is World Environment Day? Well, the first one was held in 1974 with the theme being Only One Earth. WED is celebrated every year on June 5th in more than 143 countries. The purpose is to encourage worldwide awareness and calls to action to protect our environment.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to set up the rainwater collection barrel, almost all of the DIY projects shared here at Interior Frugalista have step-by-step tutorials so why not get your budget DIY on and subscribe. You can also follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

So let's begin with the rain barrel. This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

DIY Rain Barrel System

You may be wondering about the elaborate downspout system we have going on (pictured above). The reason why is because we couldn't put the rain barrel against the house. There is a "secret" gate beside the front gutter and a garden shed against the house beside the back gutter.

Ultimately, the best spot for a rain barrel is against the house near a downspout but we'll talk more about that further down in the post.

If you are going to use a reclaimed barrel, make sure it once contained food-grade, non-toxic liquids only. We got our reclaimed 50-gallon plastic water barrel for free and it used to be an industrial distilled water storage container.

Spigot Installation

The first thing you'll need to do is attach a rain barrel spigot kit to the barrel. To do this, drill a hole in the barrel a few inches from the bottom with a hole saw bit the same diameter as the spigot. Wrap the thread of the spigot with plumbing sealing tape and screw the valve into the barrel.

Rain Barrel Platform

You want to raise the rain barrel so you can fit a watering can under the spigot. We used a reclaimed oak pallet for our platform. Other suggestions for rain barrel platforms are; concrete blocks, landscape ties, fence posts, or railroad ties.

Whatever you use it needs to hold the weight of a full barrel. For example, a 50-gallon barrel will weigh 420 lbs when filled with water. Set the rain barrel on the platform and we'll install the water overflow pipe next.

Water Overflow Pipe Installation

For the water overflow valve, we used a 2-inch PVC pipe almost as long as the height of the barrel. You need to use a 2-inch hole saw bit and drill the hole a few inches from the top of the barrel.

Next, attach an elbow to the PVC pipe then cut a short piece to place on the opposite end of the elbow that will get fed through the hole. Attach a PVC plumbing coupling on the inside onto the short piece to hold the entire unit in place.

The overflow pipe will face down towards the ground. I should point out that all the PVC pipe joints were secured with PVC glue. Use silicone to seal around the pipe on the inside and outside of the barrel so no water can escape.

Place a gutter splash block underneath the overflow pipe to direct the water away from the house and wait for Mother Nature to fill your rain barrel.

You can hook up a garden hose to the spigot if it's more convenient but don't expect it to come pouring out like a regular house tap. I fill a couple of large watering cans at once to reduce the number of trips to the rain barrel.

Downspout Connection

The downspout should be configured to reach the top of the barrel. You may need elbows to adjust the configuration, depending on the position of the barrel. The easiest placement is putting the rain barrel as close to the downspout as possible.

Wherever the downspout comes in contact with the lid, trace the end onto the lid and cut a hole with a jigsaw. Place the downspout into the hole.

Rain Barrel Debris Collection

You will get debris from the downspouts and there are a couple of ways to deal with it.

1. You can purchase a rain barrel diverter kit that attaches to the end of the downspout and filters the debris. Please note, this system will require a different connection to the rain barrel.
2. Or you can do what we do and every so often, open the lid and scoop out the debris.

How To Winterize The Rain Barrel

If you live in a climate that gets below freezing, it's important you winterize your rain barrel in late fall before the first heavy frost. There are a few things you need to do.

1. Empty the water from the barrel. This is a great opportunity to water in cedars and evergreens for the winter.
2. While the barrel is empty, it's a good time to wash it out with a hose or power washer.
3. Keep the spigot in the open position so water doesn't collect in the barrel during the winter.

Enjoy your new rain barrel! It's nature's way of fertilizing your flowers. Now let's move onto the compost bin and how to set it up and maintain it.

How To Set Up An Urban Compost Bin

What I love most about our compost bin is that we're helping reduce landfill waste. It's also a great way to ensure our garden has rich nutrient soil readily available without the use of chemical fertilizers.

Check with your local municipality to see if they have a compost bin program because you may be able to get a bin for free like we did. If not, I found some alternative outdoor compost bins.

Food Waste Collection Tip

We keep a stainless steel compost pail (pictured above) under the kitchen sink to collect food waste, coffee grounds, eggshells, soiled paper towels, and napkins. It has a replaceable filter in the lid so it does not smell and there are many styles available as well as replacement filters.

What Can Go In A Compost Bin

Green Waste

• Food scraps
• Coffee grounds
• Eggshells

Brown Waste

• Soiled paper napkins and paper towels
• Newspaper
• Leaves
• Plant clippings
• Lawn clippings
• Wood sawdust
• Straw

What Should NOT Go In A Compost Bin

• Meat
• Dairy scraps
• Dog, cat, or human feces
• Diseased plant clippings
• Chemically fertilized lawn clippings

How To Start A Compost Bin

• Layer compost waste in a 1:2 or 1:3 green/brown ratio.
• If you have more green waste than brown the compost will stink.
• Start with a brown layer 4-6 inches thick.
• Water a little to moisten the layers to help the decomposition process.
• Scatter a little soil between layers to add more organisms.

How To Maintain A Compost Bin

• Turn the compost pile with a compost aerator (ours came with the bin) once a week to keep the compost well aerated.
• It's important to keep the compost moist by adding water.
• Your compost should be hot and steamy when you open the lid.
• You should have fresh rich nutrient soil within two months.

It's like Christmas morning when you open the bottom door of the compost bin to find the gift of beautiful dark rich soil just waiting to enrich your garden and flower beds.

Unfortunately, just weeks before deciding to write this post, I had emptied the most enriched soil on the bottom for our raised garden beds. Thankfully there was a little composted soil left at the bottom (pictured below) but not as enriched as the first batch. Hopefully, the latest brew will be ready in about a month.

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today! I hope you were inspired by these eco-friendly ideas for rainwater collection and urban composting. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this eco-friendly gardening idea, I'd be so thankful if you shared it with a friend and pinned it to your Organic Gardening or Outdoor DIY Project Ideas board on Pinterest.

Now let's go see what my talented friend's made for our world environment day challenge by clicking each link below.

Kokedama Fairy Village | A Crafty Mix

Free Abstract Plant Printable | Northern Feeling

DIY Upcycled Old Paddle Paint Pouring | Raggedy Bits

Book Repurposed Into A Jewelry Box | Unique Creations By Anita

DIY Rain Water System and Compost Bin | Interior Frugalista (that's me)

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.