Keeping a Loved One’s Cremains at Home? 11 Options

A change in a couple of trends like the increased demand for accessability of cremains and the growing idea of reinterment has seen the popularity of cremation rise. While cremation is often seen as a way to reduce environmental impact and save time, a study conducted by the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) in 2009 revealed that the number of cremations in the United States has increased by more than 20% in the past five years. In this study, the NFDA found that the cremation of more than 2 million Americans is done every year. In addition, the study revealed that many Americans have no choice but to cremate as the government has banned the burial of human remains in many states. To address the rising number of cremations and the environmental impact of cremation.

Jump ahead to these sections:

Is It OK to Keep Cremains at Home?

How You Can Keep Cremated Remains at Home

Some (discoverer) family members choose to keep the body at rest while they wait to have the body buried. Some others may have their loved one’s body at rest while planning for the perfect, final resting place.

Whether you are taking care of the ashes yourself or hiring a professional, by following some ideas here, you will be able to protect your loved one’s ashes.

Is it OK to Keep Cremains at Home?

There’s nothing wrong with keeping cremated remains at home – but because our beliefs about these remains are different, some people may look at it as inappropriate. However, cremated remains are no different than flowers, or other objects you may have in your home. You may keep them in a glass jar or a small box. Some people choose to have their ashes scattered at a location of their choice. Others keep them in a small urn or in a vase.

Some religious faiths, such as followers of Islam, Eastern Orthodox, and some Jewish sects forbid the acceptance of death in the lifetime of the deceased.

These faith communities teach beliefs that allow cremation, burial, or memorialization on the part of the deceased.

The majority of faith communities that allow cremation, or other forms of disposition of remains, have no clear guidelines on the disposition of the remains. The exception to this is the Catholic Church. The Vatican issued a statement in 2016 saying that Catholics would want to place their remains or be buried in a cemetery or a consecrated place. The Vatican specifically banned the scattering of ashes and having the ashes kept at a personal residence.

It is safest to do this before making any decisions involving cremation, lest you end up fighting in the cemetery.

How You Can Keep Cremated Remains at Home

Some people prefer to have the remains of those they love cremated. After all, who would want to see the remains of a decision maker? If you prefer to keep your loved one close to you. Here are some ideas for you to consider.

1. Create a special spot for the urn

One of the most common ways to keep the ashes at home is to purchase a decorative urn. Once the cremains are sealed in the container, you can create a special place to display the container.

2. Create a shrine for your loved one’s remains

Some families take the time to create a small shrine for their loved ones.

Although the remains of a loved one can also be a spiritual offering, placing their loved one’s remains in the nook of the family temple also helps to increase the religious significance of the home.

3. Create your own cremation garden

Some communities have a cemetery in which people can gather to leave the ashes of relatives within their loved ones. If you like this idea but you want your loved ones to have the freedom to visit you at home, we encourage you to create your own burial garden in your backyard.

Depending upon the size of the garden, you may want to add accessories such as climbing plants to decorate the space or to personalize the accessories.

4. Create a piece of jewelry

If you want to be physically close to your loved one at all times, there are numerous options available for creating a piece of jewelry from the deceased.

You can choose to manufacture glass out of the cremains. You can have a shot glass full of recycled cremains, or take your choice of a small portion of cremains for a little something nice.

If you have your deceased loved one's lock of hair or cremated remains, you can send it into the custody of a professional gem cutter to have it turned into a custom-made diamond. After a consultation and a couple of months of waiting for the results, you can have a diamond of your choice to wear.

At some companies, like Eterneva, they create lab-grown diamonds and allow you to pick from several different cuts and colors for your gemstone.

5. Create a decorative piece

Instead of keeping an urn on your mantle filled with the ashes of your loved one when he or she died, you can also have the ashes made into a decorative piece. It usually takes more than one company to make style and colors from the ashes of a deceased family member. It usually takes more than one company to make a suncatcher from the remains of a deceased family member.

6. Mix the cremains with the soil for a plant

Some people enjoy the idea of having their loved one’s cremains incorporated into the composting system, or having body parts mixed with garden soil and planted in containers.

7. Plant a tree

If you are concerned about keeping a houseplant alive, its roots may be more fragile than its leaves, chances are you will have to consider a method of watering and fertilizing that is more forgiving than your regular watering regime.

Before you decide to plant your beloved’s cremains near the root ball of a new tree, consider how you will feel upon moving away from that piece of property and what your new home will be doing for its own benefit.

8. Create a vase out of the cremains

Instead of creating a decorative piece, you could create a vase. A Vase is useful and can be stored lovingly away when not in use.

When you purchase your loved one a nice bouquet of fresh flowers every day, you can actually take cuttings from your loved one’s flower gardens throughout the year and display them in the vase of the special occasion.

There are a lot of specialty urns that look like great works of art. Faith focuses on creating unique urns that are meant specifically for a loved one.

9. Store the cremains in a plush toy made with an internal compartment

Making teddy bears that can be filled with cremains can be particularly appropriate if your child died.

The bear is also personalized with a favorite quote or verse that the bear will be named after.

10. Get a tattoo

If you want people who want to still be close to you to have a tattoo that will look like their loved one, this company will do just this.

Then, you have to have something represent your loved one on the inside of your body. While you couldn’t even take credit for his or her death, there are certain things you can claim as your own on the inside of your body.

11. Search for other creative ideas

If you thought having the ashes of your loved one cremated was a really awesome idea, you will see you can do it for a cheaper price.

You can have the ashes of your family member’s cremains turned into a vinyl record, a shotgun shell, or fireworks. It seems the sky’s the limit on how you can use your family member’s ashes.

Keep a Loved One’s Cremains

As a family, you may feel dismayed at the thought of your dad going at a houseplant, but you shouldn’t be dismayed that you may not be able to do everything you want to. Other family members may not accept your terms of the agreement but they are still willing to get the government to pay them money owed by your family members. Some of these choices are not common, but your family must still be particularly conservative when choosing the final resting place for your loved one.