If you’ve ever thought about starting a worm bin but felt overwhelmed… this is for you.
Because I’m not coming to you as someone who planned everything out perfectly.
I’m coming to you as someone who literally got off work, opened a box of 1,000 worms, and said:
“Okay… we’re doing this right now.”
👉🏾 Watch the full setup video here:
📦 The Day My Worms Showed Up
So let me set the scene.
I had just gotten off work and wasn’t prepared. To be honest with you I wasn’t planning to do anything that day.
But my worms showed up.
And if you know anything about ordering live worms, you know you don’t just let them sit in a box.
So I opened them immediately.
I ordered 1,000 worms, and they came in two separate boxes, packed in dry peat moss.
When I opened them, I’m not gonna lie—it’s a little shocking at first.
They looked:
- Dry
- A little weak
- Not as lively as you might expect
But that’s actually normal.
They’ve been in transit for a few days without food or water, so they just need moisture and time to bounce back
🛒 The Worm Bin I Used for This Setup
This time, I decided to upgrade my setup and use a stackable system instead of the basic bins I’ve used before.
👉🏾 Get the worm bin I used here:
[INSERT WORM BIN LINK]
Now, in the video, I’m not doing a full breakdown or review—I’m literally just trying to get everything set up.
But this is a 5-tier worm composting system, which means:
- You can compost in layers
- Worms naturally move upward over time
- You can collect worm tea at the bottom
- It keeps everything more organized
Even though it has multiple levels, I only used one to start.
🔧 Putting It Together (Figuring It Out As I Go)
When I opened the box for the bin, it came with a lot of pieces:
- Gloves
- A soil meter
- Some tools
- Multiple trays
- A base with a spout
And I’m just looking at it like…
“Okay… what do I actually need right now?”
Because at that moment, my priority wasn’t perfection.
It was:
👉 Get the worms out the box
👉 Get them into a safe environment
Everything else could wait.
🧠 You Don’t Have to Know Everything to Start
One thing you’ll notice in the video is that I’m not following instructions perfectly.
I’m:
- Looking at the parts
- Trying things out
- Adjusting as I go
- Saying “this should work”
And honestly… it did.
That’s something I want you to take from this.
You don’t have to have everything figured out to start something new.
🪱 Adding the Worms (This Got Real Fast 😂)
When I finally opened the bag and grabbed a handful of worms…
It got real.
They were:
- Sliding through my fingers
- Trying to drop everywhere
- Moving FAST
And I’m like HOLD ON 😂
So I had to move quickly and get them into the bin before they started exploring my house.
Once I got them in, I closed the lid to keep everything contained.
🚨 If Your Worms Try to Escape
If you’re new to worm composting, this might catch you off guard.
Your worms might try to crawl out at first.
That does NOT mean you did something wrong.
After shipping, worms are:
- Disoriented
- Stressed
- Adjusting to a new environment
This behavior is temporary and usually settles once they get comfortable
💧 What I Did After the Video (Important Step)
So this part wasn’t fully shown in the video, but I want to be real about it.
I did not feed my worms right away.
What I did do was:
- Add water to the bedding
- Let everything rehydrate
- Let the worms settle into their environment
Because they come in dry peat moss, hydration is the priority.
I waited about 2–3 days before feeding them.
No rush.
🍽️ Why You Shouldn’t Feed Worms Immediately
When worms first arrive, they’re focused on:
- Rehydrating
- Adjusting
- Getting comfortable
If you add food too early, it can:
- Overwhelm them
- Disrupt the balance
- Cause issues in your bin
So let them settle first.
Hydration → then food.
🧱 Why I Only Used One Layer
Even though this is a 5-tier system, I only used one tray.
That’s intentional.
When you’re starting a worm bin:
- You begin with one layer
- Feed in that space
- Let the worms grow and multiply
- Then expand into more trays
There’s no need to use the whole system right away.
🌱 What This Is Really About
This isn’t just about worms.
For me, this is about:
- Building my homestead
- Learning new systems
- Becoming more self-sufficient
- Turning waste into something useful
Because at the end of the day, you’re taking:
👉 Kitchen scraps
👉 Turning them into compost
👉 Using that to grow food
That’s a full cycle.
💭 Real Talk: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect
This setup wasn’t perfect.
I didn’t read every instruction, use every tool, and have everything figured out.
But I started.
And that’s what matters.
🔗 Want to Start Your Own Worm Bin?
If you watched the video or read this and thought:
“Okay… I can do this.”
Start here:
👉🏾 Get the worm bin I used:
myjaxhomestead.com/worm-composting-at-home
You don’t need to overcomplicate it.
Just get started.
🎥 Watch the Full Video
If you want to see everything happen in real time—including me figuring it out step-by-step: