When someone you love is cremated, the next decisions tend to arrive quietly. There is no loud announcement that says, “Now choose the container that will hold what’s left.” Instead, you may find yourself standing in a craft aisle, turning a decorative box over in your hands, thinking: this feels like them. Or this is what we can afford. Or I just need something that looks gentle on the mantle until we figure everything else out.
If you’ve searched phrases like hobby lobby cremation urns, diy urn for ashes, or decorative container as urn, you’re not alone. Cremation is now the most common choice for many U.S. families. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected at 63.4% in 2025, and is expected to keep rising over time. And according to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), the U.S. cremation rate was 61.8% in 2024. With more families choosing cremation, more families are also navigating the practical question behind the emotion: what container is actually safe for ashes, and what rules might apply later?
The honest answer is this: yes, in some situations, a decorative container can work. But “can” and “should” depend on a few must-check details—capacity, closure, and where the urn will ultimately go. The goal isn’t to pressure you into anything. It’s to help you avoid the kind of painful surprise that happens when a cemetery, columbarium, or airline says no after you’ve already made a choice with your whole heart.
Start with the real question: what is your plan for the ashes?
Before you judge a container by how beautiful it is, pause and name the plan. In funeral planning, the “right” container is less about style and more about use. A keepsake for a bookshelf is different from an urn that must fit a columbarium niche. A container that sits safely at home is different from one that needs to be transported, buried, or used in water burial.
If you already know the destination, you can choose confidently. If you don’t, it’s okay to choose in stages. Many families keep ashes in the temporary container from the crematory for a time, then select a permanent urn when grief isn’t so fresh. If you’d like a calm overview of the common paths—home, burial, scattering, travel—Funeral.com’s guide on how to choose a cremation urn that fits your plans is a practical starting point.
What cremated remains are like—and why containers sometimes fail
People imagine ashes as fluffy, like fireplace ash. In reality, cremated remains are more like a fine, sandy grit. There may be small granular pieces, and everything can shift and flow. That matters because a container can look “closed” while still allowing tiny particles to escape through seams, hairline gaps, or loose lids.
This is why professionals talk so much about closures. If a container is even slightly leaky, you may not notice at first. The leak might appear months later as fine dust on a shelf, or after a move, or after the container tips slightly. None of this is about fear—it’s about preventing the kind of moment that feels like a second loss.
If you’re keeping remains at home—whether temporarily or long-term—Funeral.com’s guide on keeping ashes at home walks through practical placement, household safety, and the emotional side of living with a memorial in your space.
Can a craft or home-store container work as an urn?
Sometimes, yes—especially if the ashes remain inside the sealed bag from the crematory and the decorative piece is functioning as an outer shell. But before you decide, run the container through a simple test. This is the same logic you’d use when choosing purpose-built cremation urns, just applied to something not originally designed for remains.
Capacity: will it actually hold what it needs to hold?
Urn capacity is measured in cubic inches. The simplest rule of thumb is about one cubic inch per pound of body weight before cremation. If that feels too clinical for a tender time, think of it this way: capacity is the difference between a container that closes gently and one that forces you to make an impossible decision with no room for error.
If you want a clear explanation (with examples for adults, keepsakes, and pets), Funeral.com’s urn size calculator guide makes the math feel manageable. It also helps explain why small cremation urns and keepsake urns are intentionally sized for sharing rather than holding everything.
Craft-store containers often don’t list capacity at all. If you’re determined to use one, measure the interior volume or compare it to a known urn size. If you’re planning to keep only a portion, browse small cremation urns or keepsake urns so you can see what “portion-sized” really looks like.
Closure: does it seal securely, or only look closed?
Most decorative containers are designed to hold trinkets—not fine particulate material. A magnetic lid, a hinged top with a loose latch, or a decorative cork can be lovely for jewelry, but risky for ashes. This is where families often need a safe container for ashes rather than a simply beautiful one.
A more reliable closure usually means one of these: a threaded lid (screw-top), a tight-fitting bottom panel that can be secured, or a lid that can be sealed in a way you feel comfortable with. Many families keep ashes in the sealed inner bag and place that bag inside the decorative container. This reduces leakage risk and creates a second layer of protection.
If you are considering a container for travel, be even more cautious. TSA guidance emphasizes that screening relies on imaging and that officers will not open a container, which is why the container material and closure matter. A TSA handout on traveling with crematory remains explains the general screening reality families face.
Material: will it hold up to time, movement, and real life?
Glass, thin ceramic, and some decorative resins can chip or crack—especially if the container is moved, bumped, or placed where temperature shifts happen. Wood can be sturdy, but only if the joinery is tight and the lid sits flush. Metal can be durable, but decorative tins sometimes have seams that are not airtight.
If your plan is long-term home placement, a purpose-built urn often brings peace of mind because it’s designed for both durability and closure. Browsing cremation urns for ashes can also help you compare what “built for ashes” looks like across materials and designs.
When you may need a “real” urn: rules that show up later
Families are often surprised by where “rules” come from. In many cases, it isn’t state law—it’s policy: a cemetery’s burial requirements, a columbarium’s niche specifications, or a transportation guideline that makes an improvised container impractical.
If the urn will be buried in a cemetery plot or placed in a columbarium niche, ask the cemetery for written requirements before you commit. Some locations require specific exterior dimensions, certain materials, or an urn that can be sealed. Others require an urn vault or outer container. This is where a decorative box that feels perfect at home might become a problem later.
If your plan involves the ocean, federal rules can apply. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains that burial at sea must take place no closer than three nautical miles from shore, and the related regulation at eCFR reflects the same three-nautical-mile requirement for cremated remains. For families considering water burial or scattering at sea, Funeral.com’s guide on scattering ashes at sea helps translate the “rules” into real-life planning.
And if you’re planning a water placement ceremony (where an urn is placed into water and dissolves or disperses), a craft-store container is usually the wrong tool for the moment. A purpose-built option is designed for pacing and stability in wind and waves. You can explore biodegradable & eco-friendly urns and read about what these ceremonies often look like in this water burial ceremony guide.
Budget-friendly alternatives that are designed for ashes (and still beautiful)
If the main reason you’re considering an alternative urn container is cost, you deserve options that don’t make you choose between affordability and safety. “Budget” doesn’t have to mean improvised. It can mean simple materials, clean designs, or choosing a smaller vessel because you’re planning to share.
Many families choose one primary urn and then a few smaller memorials. A full-size urn can remain at home, while children or siblings receive keepsake urns that hold a small portion. For that path, start with cremation urns, then narrow to small cremation urns or keepsake cremation urns for ashes when sharing is part of the plan.
If you want the smallest symbolic portion possible, cremation jewelry can be a gentle option—especially for people who don’t want an urn visible in their home. Funeral.com’s cremation jewelry and cremation necklaces collections include pieces designed with a concealed chamber and closure. If you’re trying to understand how cremation necklaces work (and what “waterproof” really means), the practical details are covered in cremation jewelry 101 and the more detailed cremation jewelry guide.
For pets, families often feel the same tension: “I want something that looks like them, but I don’t want to make a mistake.” Pet remains are usually smaller, which makes decorative containers tempting—but closure and durability still matter. If you’re choosing pet urns or pet urns for ashes, Funeral.com’s pet cremation urns collection is a broad starting point, with more specific options like pet figurine cremation urns and pet keepsake cremation urns. The companion guide pet urns for ashes is especially helpful if you’re unsure about sizing by weight.
If you do choose a decorative container: a safer way to do it
If a craft-store container feels meaningful and you want to use it for home display, you can lower risk by thinking in layers. The decorative container becomes the outer memorial, and the inner layer becomes the secure barrier that actually holds the ashes.
- Keep the ashes in the sealed inner bag from the crematory whenever possible, including any identification disk or tag that came with them.
- Choose a container that closes firmly and cannot pop open if tipped—especially if you have children, pets, or frequent visitors.
- Place the bagged remains inside a secondary liner (such as a simple protective pouch or inner container) before setting it into the decorative piece.
- Store it somewhere stable: away from edges, away from humidity, and away from high-traffic surfaces that get bumped.
If transferring ashes is part of your plan, go slowly. Families often do this on a calm day, with a towel on a table, and enough time that the moment doesn’t feel rushed. For pet families, Funeral.com’s step-by-step guide on how to transfer pet ashes into an urn is written to be low-stress and practical, and many of the same tips apply to human remains as well.
Where cost fits into the bigger picture
Sometimes the container question is really a cost question. Families who are coping with loss are also coping with invoices—often at the same time. If you’re trying to understand how much does cremation cost and why quotes vary so widely, Funeral.com’s 2025 guide, how much does cremation cost, walks through typical fees and the difference between direct cremation and cremation with services.
Knowing the full picture can help you make a steady decision: when to spend for safety and peace of mind, and when a simpler choice is perfectly respectful. In many families, the “best” plan is not the most expensive one—it’s the one that matches their timeline, their values, and what will feel sustainable to live with after the arrangements are over.
A gentler way to decide
If you’re holding a decorative container in your hands and wondering if it can be an urn, you don’t have to answer forever today. You can choose a safe temporary solution and revisit later. You can choose a purpose-built urn and still personalize the memorial space around it with photos, fabric, letters, and small objects that tell the story. You can choose cremation jewelry for one person, keepsake urns for others, and a primary urn for home—because grief in a family is rarely one-size-fits-all.
When you’re ready to explore options without pressure, you can start broadly with cremation urns for ashes, narrow to small cremation urns or keepsake urns for sharing, and include cremation necklaces if a wearable memorial feels right. If pets are part of your loss, pet cremation urns and pet urns for ashes options can help you honor that bond with the same care.
And if you’re still unsure, remember this: choosing safely is a form of love. A container that seals well, fits the ashes, and matches your long-term plan isn’t just “practical.” It protects the memory you’re trying so hard to carry.
