After a cremation, families often realize the decision is not just “which urn.” It is “how do we make this workable for everyone who is grieving?” One home may become the natural place for the primary memorial, while other relatives still want something tangible and personal. That is where keepsake urns—sometimes called sharing urns—can feel like a quiet kind of relief.
These choices are becoming more common because cremation is now the majority option in the U.S. According to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), the U.S. cremation rate was 61.8% in 2024. The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) reports a projected cremation rate of 63.4% in 2025, with burial projected at 31.6%. As more families make decisions about ashes, questions like what to do with ashes and how to share them respectfully come up more often.
What Keepsake and Mini Urns Are (and How They Fit Into a Plan)
Keepsake urns for ashes are intentionally small containers designed to hold a portion of cremated remains. They are not meant to replace the primary urn for most families; they are meant to support a shared memorial plan. A common approach is to choose a main urn from Funeral.com’s cremation urns for ashes collection, then add keepsakes for close relatives who want something that can live quietly on a shelf, in a memorial space, or beside a framed photo.
It also helps to separate keepsakes from “small urns.” Funeral.com’s small cremation urns are typically larger than keepsakes and can hold a more substantial portion. That can be ideal when one household is keeping a meaningful amount while other family members receive smaller keepsakes. The keepsake category is usually designed for symbolic sharing—one for each adult child, one for a sibling, one for a grandparent—so everyone feels included without needing multiple full-size containers.
If your family is unsure about the etiquette of sharing, Funeral.com’s Journal article Is It Okay to Split Ashes? offers a grounded way to think about respect, communication, and practical steps.
How Much Does a Keepsake Urn Hold?
Keepsake capacity is usually listed in cubic inches. That may feel overly technical at first, but it is the simplest way to plan with confidence. Most families do not need a perfect “fair share.” They need a portion that feels meaningful, is secure to store, and fits the keepsake style they chose.
- 1–3 cubic inches: a very small, symbolic amount (common for petite pieces and many heart keepsakes).
- 3–7 cubic inches: the most typical range for keepsake urns and mini urns for human ashes, designed for sharing across several relatives.
- 7–28 cubic inches: closer to a “small urn” than a keepsake; often chosen when one person is keeping ashes at home and wants a larger portion in a compact memorial.
For quick category guidance, Funeral.com’s keepsake urns collection is described as “typically under 7 cubic inches,” while its small cremation urns for ashes are generally under 28 cubic inches. That one distinction prevents a lot of second-guessing later.
Planning the Split Before You Open Anything
The calmest transfers happen when the plan is decided before the temporary container is opened. Start with the role of keepsakes in your funeral planning: will there be one primary urn and several keepsakes, or are you creating two “household urns” plus a few mini keepsakes? Funeral.com’s guide on how to choose a cremation urn that fits your plans is a helpful framework because it starts with scenarios—home display, burial, travel, scattering, and sharing—rather than aesthetics alone.
If you are combining plans—such as scattering some ashes while keeping a portion—decide the keepsake portions first, so the keepsake plan is not squeezed by the ceremony timeline. This matters even more for a water burial. Funeral.com’s water burial guide walks through what typically happens and why biodegradable containers are often used. For ocean ceremonies, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency notes that cremated remains must be placed at least three nautical miles from land.
If you are asking how much does cremation cost and trying to decide where keepsakes fit in the overall budget, it helps to zoom out. The NFDA reports national median costs in 2023 of $8,300 for a funeral with viewing and burial and $6,280 for a funeral with viewing and cremation (not including cemetery costs). Funeral.com’s guide how much does cremation cost walks through common price ranges and where items like cremation urns and keepsakes typically fit.
How to Split Ashes Safely at Home
If you are nervous about transferring ashes, that is normal. The process is not complicated, but it is emotionally loaded, and it helps to treat it as both practical and ceremonial: choose a quiet time, use a stable surface, and move slowly. Funeral.com’s step-by-step guide, How to Transfer Ashes into a Cremation Urn, explains different urn closures and two common methods: placing a sealed bag into an urn when it fits, or pouring carefully when you are dividing ashes among keepsakes.
For sharing, you will usually be pouring. A small urn funnel kit helps, and many pieces of cremation jewelry include a mini fill kit. If you do not have a funnel, a piece of clean paper folded into a narrow “V” channel works well. What matters most is working over a tray and keeping the bag opening small so you stay in control.
- A shallow tray or box lid to work over.
- Disposable gloves and a soft cloth for wiping threads and rims.
- A funnel (or folded paper spout) and a small scoop or spoon.
- Labels or small bags if you are preparing multiple keepsakes at once.
Two practical details prevent most problems. First, snip a tiny corner of the temporary bag rather than cutting it wide—this creates a controlled spout and reduces dust. Second, keep threads and rims clean before closing; even one grain can stop a threaded lid from seating properly. Close gently and avoid overtightening. If jewelry is part of your plan, Funeral.com’s guide to cremation necklaces includes filling and sealing tips that translate well to other small pieces.
Keepsake Styles Families Choose Most Often
Classic mini urns and small brass keepsakes
A classic mini urn is a steady choice when you want something traditional and durable. Start with Funeral.com’s keepsake urns collection, then narrow by material and finish. If you are specifically looking for a small brass keepsake urn, the Athenaeum Bronze Keepsake Urn holds up to 5 cubic inches and closes with a threaded lid.
Heart and photo-frame keepsakes
Heart-shaped keepsakes are often chosen for symbolism as much as capacity. A heart keepsake urn can be especially comforting for close relatives who want a visual expression of love that feels warm rather than clinical. The Aero Wheat Heart Keepsake Urn is one example of a display-friendly heart format designed for sharing. Photo-frame styles are another option when you want the ashes present without making them the visual centerpiece; you notice the picture first, and the urn becomes the quiet foundation.
Pet keepsakes, pet figurines, and coordinated family memorials
Many families extend the same sharing logic to animals, especially when children have moved out or when a pet was central to daily life. If you are choosing pet urns or pet urns for ashes, start with pet cremation urns, then refine by style. For a sculptural memorial, explore pet figurine cremation urns. If several relatives want a portion, pet keepsake cremation urns are designed for sharing without needing multiple full-size containers.
Cremation jewelry and cremation necklaces
Sometimes the most livable keepsake is the smallest one. Cremation jewelry holds a tiny, symbolic portion, but it travels with you—especially helpful when family members live in different places. Funeral.com’s cremation necklaces and cremation jewelry collections are designed for this purpose, and the Journal guide How Cremation Jewelry Works explains what these pieces typically hold and why the “smallness” is part of the design.
Choosing With Confidence
When you compare keepsakes, focus on what will matter six months from now: capacity, closure, and how the piece will live in someone’s daily environment. If the keepsake will be handled often, a secure threaded closure may bring more peace of mind. If engraving matters, choose a surface that can carry names and dates clearly, or consider an accessory when the urn itself cannot be engraved; Funeral.com’s urn accessories include bases and nameplates that can add context without changing the keepsake you love.
Most of all, remember what keepsakes are meant to do. They are meant to reduce pressure, not add it. Whether you choose cremation urns, keepsake urns for ashes, small cremation urns, or cremation necklaces, the goal is the same: to help a family hold remembrance in a way that feels steady, respectful, and possible.
