What to Know When You Plan a Home Funeral

Funerals are never easy, but a home funeral may be more comforting for loved ones of the deceased. But here’s what you should know first.

In 2017, more than 2.8 million people died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While you might not lose anyone in your life this year, eventually, you will. Death is inevitable, yet it’s always a tough event to go through.

When you lose a loved one, you can handle the funeral in many ways. One option is to have a home funeral.

A home funeral offers a safe, comfortable environment for loved ones to gather. If you’re leaning toward this option, here is a guide to help you know what it involves and how to plan one.

A Home Funeral Takes Place in Your House

When you begin planning a funeral, you’ll have a lot of decisions to make. If the person who died named you as the funeral executor, you have the responsibility of doing the planning.

You can ask your friends and family to help you with the planning stages of the funeral, but the main goal is to make sure you follow your loved one’s wishes.

Did they tell you that they want a home funeral? If not, would you suspect that this is what they would want? A home funeral is a great idea for so many reasons, but it will take some work to plan it.

The main thing to realize is that a home funeral takes place in your home. You can use your home or your loved one’s house. Whichever you choose should be spacious enough to hold dozens of people at once.

You might also want to make sure you have enough parking space outside. You’ll also need to consult with a funeral home for the preparations.

You Can Choose Burial or Cremation

Even with a home funeral, you will need to hire a funeral home to help you with the preparations. One of the main decisions you must make is whether you choose burial or cremation.

You can have a home funeral with either option. If you choose burial, the funeral home will prepare the body and bring it to your home. You’ll need to figure out how to get the casket in your house and where to place it, though.

If you choose cremation, the funeral home will handle that for you. Afterward, they will give you your loved one’s ashes in an urn. They can help you select an urn and make any decisions you need to make.

Home Funerals Offer Many Benefits

People choose a home funeral for many reasons, and because they offer a lot of wonderful benefits. If you’re on the fence about it, you might want to learn some of the benefits. Here are the main ones:

You Can Feel More Comfortable

First, when you have a funeral in your house, you can feel more comfortable. In fact, everyone might feel more comfortable simply because homes offer relaxing atmospheres.

Additionally, you won’t have to leave your house to go to a funeral home. Therefore, a home funeral offers more convenience, too.

It Can Last Longer

The benefit is that you can have a longer funeral showing if you host it in your home. When you have a funeral or celebration of life service at a funeral home, you will have a time slot in the schedule.

At a funeral home, you might have four or six hours, and that’s it. If you have it in your home, you could host a showing all day. You could even have it for multiple days.

You won’t feel rushed, and you’ll have more time to give to out-of-town travelers to get there.

It Is More Cost Effective

The next benefit is the costs. If you don’t use a funeral home for the services, you won’t have to pay for it. Hosting the funeral in your home provides a way to save money on the costs of a funeral.

You Can Personalize It More

When you host the funeral in your home, it also provides more of an opportunity to personalize the event. You can display more pictures around the house. You can set out more collectibles or memories, too.

Another benefit is that you won’t have to transport your pictures or things to a funeral home. Therefore, you’ll save time and work.

It Offers More of a Bonding Experience

A home funeral also offers more of a bonding experience for your family. When your family gathers in the comfort of your home, you may have more time to talk, relate, and bond with each other.

Steps to Take to Have a Home Funeral

If a home funeral sounds good to you, you’ll need to start learning how to plan a funeral. Planning a funeral reception at home will take some work, and the first step is to hire a funeral home for help.

The funeral home will know the legal requirements in your state for home funerals, and they can assist with every step.

Next, you’ll have to consider the date and times of the event. You can work with the funeral home to determine the dates and times, and they will help you advertise the event, so your family and friends know when to come.

Planning a home funeral also requires determining what to do at the funeral. Do you want to have a service of some kind? Do you want to host a luncheon?

The funeral home that assists you with this will help you know how to plan the funeral. They will give you advice and tips to help you have a memorable and successful funeral in your house.

Learn More About After Death Options

When a loved one passes away, you might be responsible for planning the funeral. If you know that your loved one would prefer a home funeral, contact us for help.

We offer cremation and funeral services in the Dallas and Fort Worth area. We can help you plan a funeral and learn your options. Call us today or visit our website for more information.