After cremation, many families describe a strange quiet: the appointments and paperwork slow down, but your heart still wants somewhere for love to go. That’s why the question what to do with ashes can feel heavier than it sounds. You don’t have to decide everything at once, and you don’t have to choose only one option.
Most cremated remains are returned in a sealed inner bag and placed inside a temporary urn or temporary container. That temporary container is meant to give you time. When you’re ready, you can move the bag into a permanent urn, divide portions for keepsakes, or plan a ceremony. If you want a calm walkthrough, Funeral.com’s guide on how to transfer ashes into an urn can help you avoid spills and stress.
Why so many people are searching for urns, keepsakes, and ash jewelry
Cremation is now the majority choice in many U.S. communities. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to be 63.4% in 2025, and it is projected to continue rising in the decades ahead; NFDA projects cremation could reach 82.3% by 2045. The Cremation Association of North America tracks cremation data and publishes annual statistics reports that reflect how common cremation has become and how families’ memorial preferences keep evolving.
When more families choose cremation, more families also need guidance on containers and memorials. Some want classic cremation urns. Others want keepsake urns for sharing, cremation jewelry for everyday closeness, or an eco option for scattering or water burial. These choices aren’t “extras.” They are often the part that helps grief feel grounded.
Safety and legality first: the basics that make every option easier
If you are keeping ashes at home, focus on security and dryness: a stable surface, a secure closure, and a location that won’t be handled casually. Funeral.com’s guide to keeping ashes at home covers practical placement, kids and pets, and what “respectful” can look like in real households.
If you plan to share, do it slowly and record what you did. Funeral.com’s guide on divide cremation ashes explains tools, low-spill setup, and when it’s smart to ask a funeral home for help.
For scattering or water burial, rules depend on the place. A steady starting point is permission and “leave no trace.” Funeral.com’s guide on where you can scatter ashes summarizes common U.S. situations. For ocean burial at sea, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains the general permit and distance requirements on the EPA burial-at-sea page.
Finally, families often ask how much does cremation cost because they want a plan that fits the heart and the budget. Cremation pricing can vary widely by provider and region, so a clear breakdown can reduce stress. If you’re comparing quotes or planning ahead, start with Funeral.com’s how much does cremation cost guide, then decide which memorial choices matter most to your family.
57 meaningful things to do with cremation ashes
Some ideas below use traditional cremation urns for ashes. Others are about sharing, nature, or small reminders you can carry—cremation keepsakes that make grief feel a little more holdable. If you’re searching for things to do with cremation ashes or simply trying to find unique urn ideas, start with what feels emotionally survivable right now.
Keep and store ashes at home with confidence
- Choose a full-size option from cremation urns for ashes.
- Pick a compact design from small cremation urns.
- Use custom urn engraving for names, dates, or a short line of love.
- Create a quiet shelf memorial: urn, photo, and a candle.
- Choose privacy by keeping the urn in a dedicated cabinet or memory box.
- Keep the sealed inner bag inside the urn for added protection.
- Place the urn somewhere cool and dry, away from humidity.
- Choose a durable material if the home is busy or high-traffic.
- Use a secure closure if multiple people may handle the urn.
- Keep paperwork (cremation certificate, permits) with your records.
- Write down who should move the urn if you relocate.
- If anxiety is high, ask the funeral home to transfer and seal it.
Share ashes with keepsakes and jewelry
- Share with keepsake urns when several people want a portion.
- Use a few small cremation urns for long-distance family members.
- Keep one “home base” urn and divide smaller portions later.
- Choose a keepsake urn in heart or token style for gentle, non-display memorials.
- Use a keepsake urn for travel to a memorial service.
- Wear cremation jewelry for daily closeness.
- Start with cremation necklaces if a pendant feels natural.
- Read Funeral.com’s cremation jewelry guide before filling and sealing.
- Use jewelry for “hard dates” like anniversaries or birthdays.
- Create matching keepsakes for chosen family or close friends.
- Engrave a keepsake urn with initials or a short message.
- Keep a note of how the ashes were divided for clarity later.
Scatter ashes and plan nature-based memorials
- Scatter in a meaningful place, then keep a small keepsake at home.
- Try ash scattering ideas like readings, music, and shared memories.
- Scatter on private land with permission, then plant something nearby.
- Use a scattering tube for windy beaches or overlooks.
- Choose a biodegradable urn for earth or water return.
- Use a floating water urn for a paced water burial moment.
- Follow the distance and reporting guidance on the EPA burial-at-sea page.
- Use Funeral.com’s water burial guide to plan details.
- Charter a boat for privacy and help with timing at sea.
- Scatter on a hike and follow “leave no trace” habits.
- Choose multiple locations that match chapters of their life.
- Place a portion in a cemetery niche or urn garden.
- Split the plan: keep some, scatter some, and decide later.
- Keep pet ashes separate for human burial-at-sea permits.
Turn ashes into lasting keepsakes and art
- Commission memorial diamonds from ashes for a permanent gemstone.
- Create glass art that holds a tiny portion of cremains.
- Make a ceramic token that can be held during grief waves.
- Incorporate a small portion into a private painting.
- Create a fingerprint-style charm that feels like “touch.”
- Choose a photo frame urn or shadow box with a keepsake chamber.
- Join a reef or habitat memorial program where permitted.
- Keep a tiny vial keepsake as a discreet “pocket memorial.”
- Create a sealed memorial garden stone for outdoor remembrance.
- Use artwork engraving that reflects faith, hobbies, or heritage.
- Build a family ritual: candle beside the urn on birthdays.
Honor pet ashes with dedicated options
- Choose pet cremation urns that match your companion’s size.
- Browse pet figurine cremation urns for sculpted remembrance.
- Share with pet urns for ashes in keepsake size.
- Add names and paw prints with engraved pet urns.
- Wear a small pet-ash pendant if it helps you function day to day.
- Create a pet memory corner with the urn, collar, and photo.
Use ashes choices to support calmer funeral planning
- Write down the plan—keep, share, scatter, bury, or water burial.
- Budget for the “after” choices, not just cremation itself; start with Funeral.com’s how much does cremation cost guide.
When you’re ready: matching the container to the plan
If you feel stuck between options, start with capacity. A common sizing rule is about one cubic inch of urn space for each pound of body weight, plus a little extra for safety. Funeral.com’s guide on what size cremation urn you need explains when the rule changes and how it applies to pets, sharing, and companion plans.
If you also want help choosing materials and styles—metal vs wood, classic vs contemporary—Funeral.com’s urn selection guide walks through the decisions in plain language.
If you want one steady memorial, start with cremation urns. If you expect sharing, start with keepsake urns and a simple division plan. If closeness is the priority, cremation jewelry—especially cremation necklaces—can be a gentle solution. If the plan is nature, consider an eco option from the biodegradable urn collection.
And if you’re planning ahead (or trying to reduce pressure on future you), it helps to write down one sentence: “Here’s what I want done with my ashes.” Funeral.com’s guide to funeral planning for cremation explains how preplanning and prepaid plans work, and what questions help families compare options with a clear head.
The best plan is the one your family can live with kindly, even years from now.
