Short answer: When it's full and looking 80% done. Your mileage may vary but for me I find myself rotating trays monthly. Long answer: I have been using my Worm Factory for over a year now. I bought 2 extra levels from the original 5 I think. I keep the top level full of shredded paper only... to keep worms lower and reduce fruit flies. Used to be far more careful about stuff at first but now my cycle is this: * store veggie scraps in freezer * prep a new tray once a month with moist coconut coir and shredded paper and add a week's worth of thawed family veggie scrap (4 people, lots of fruits and veggies eaten) * add new veggie scrap once per week to the new tray, drain spout to cup and pour that into a watering can for garden use * check the bottom tray and base once per month - clean base and drain it as needed; if bottom tray looks 80% done or better, transfer to plastic container (an empty cat litter container) filling it half full and keep the worms in it; leave plastic bin lid cracked open an inch, worms don't leave; use in garden when ready (I don't make tea, just put this worm-rich mix onto garden surface) - rinse used bin in garden, clean with soapy water and prepare for reuse when needed * add new veggie scrap once per week I find that it takes about one month to produce an 80% done tray with this cycle. There are PLENTY of worms. I have no worries about taking a tray full out of the cycle. Usually the bulk of my worms have moved higher anyway. I'm sure my garden soil is much happier and healthier with its new worm guests as well.

Yeah, EQII, the wormies pretty much love some mycelium. I think it causes...if you can fathom it....even more frenzied feeding & the ensuing orgies. Both of which we appreciate a great deal. I've seen worms slink backwards while chowing down on 'shrooms that reminded me of Michael Jacksons' moonwalking. How can I tell they're slinking backwards, you ask? If you gotta ask, don't ask. A great project is starting a worm bin without worms but cultivating a crop of 'shrooms. Give them a head start then introduce the wormies. It is AWESOME to watch. Looks like a video being played on fast-forward. NSFW though maybe. Chuckiebtoo M, D, P, Fungalism

You can also hang the doors on slidingdoor hardware. This allows only half access to closet but also keeps the door swing from being an issue. If you have option of pocket door from each side, that is also a way to handle things. It would allow the best access to entire closet. Our designer planned for us to have two sets of bifolds in our new entry area. I said absolutely not, that I wouldn't have the front door open into a space that had potential folded bifold in it. Have you ever had an object fall into the folded space when a bifold door is partly open? It's a pain to retrieve it and you can't shut the door until the object is removed. For us, that would be boots most likely.

Do you have a balcony/porch? You could save the scraps in a container w. secured lid. Pre-rotting will speed up to get the worms working on it. You could air/let oxygen in once in a while. That will happen anyways when you add new stuff to it. I would use a plastic bag before putting the scraps in the container. This way. the liquid could be drained by cutting a small corner of the bottom w/o making too much of a mess. Put in one spot when feeding and cover with shredded paper. The worms will come to feed when ready.