The Purpose of the Urn

There are a thousand decisions to make when you reach out to cremation services in Phoenix, AZ. One of them is choosing an urn to store your loved one’s ashes. With so many options, it can be overwhelming to pick one.

Here is a guide to help you do that easily.

Forget about the hundreds of sturdy and pretty choices. The number one place to start when trying to choose an urn is the purpose of the urn.

Yes, the primary purpose is to hold the deceased’s cremains, but what is the plan after the ashes are inside? Answering this question will narrow your choices and help you decide.

To make things easier, here are a few possibilities.

• Keep the urn at home: general-purpose urns like this are made out of durable materials like metal, wood, stone, or composite resin.
• Scattering ashes: you need an urn with an opening designed for easy release. It could also be durable to keep flowers and keepsakes that memorialize the deceased.
• In-ground burial: the urn should fit into the burial container. The container itself should be made out of a durable material like steel or polymer.
• Columbarium Niche: size and style are important here. The urn should fit in the niche, and the design should look good.
• Sharing among family: if you are sharing urns, go for something strong yet easy to carry. It is also possible for individual family members to keep the ashes in cremation jewelry.

The Size

Once you’ve figured out how you intend to use the urn, the next thing is to consider the exact volume you need to hold the ashes. The cremation urn volume is the amount of space inside the urn, measured in cubic inches.

A perfect-sized urn has a volume equal to the deceased’s body weight before cremation. That means, if the person weighed 120 pounds before cremation, you need an urn with 150 cubic inches or more.

However, you may not need to overthink this. Adult size urns generally hold the ashes of anyone up to 200-220 pounds. That is too much or small, try extra-large, medium, and Keepsakes for varying sizes.

Urn Style and Material

Cremation urns come in different materials and design styles. There are brass urns with their traditional look, marble urns with their stately look, and ceramic jars with their timeless feel.

There are other materials like glass, wood, and raku. Beyond look and feel, each one has varying levels of durability with different maintenance requirements. Make sure to know them before making a purchase.

One more thing, if the urn will be traveling on a plane, it is advisable to choose an X-rayable material such as wood or cultured marble.

Personal Preference

Many of the choices above are driven by practical reasons. It is also wise to consider your sentimental preferences.

You can add small details that remind you of them, such as color, artwork, or engraving. Therefore, when choosing an urn, make sure the material and size are customization-friendly.

These are the things to consider when choosing an urn. Use the checklist to narrow your selection. If you have more questions, reach out to Simply Cremation & Funeral Arrangements. We are a cremation service in Phoenix, AZ, and can help you pick out a suitable urn for your loved one. Call us now or stop by our location to talk to our brilliant staff.