Keepsake Urns Explained

What is a keepsake urn?

A keepsake urn is a small urn that holds a portion of a loved one's ashes, rather than all of them. It lets several family members each keep a little of the person or pet they've lost — or lets you display a small urn beside a larger main one. Our keepsakes stand about 3 inches tall and hold 2–3 tablespoons of ashes each.

Keepsakes are one of the most comforting options in memorialisation: instead of the ashes resting in one place, everyone who loved them can keep a piece close.

What is a keepsake urn used for?

People choose keepsake urns for a few reasons:

Sharing ashes among family — each child, sibling, or close friend keeps their own keepsake.
Keeping a portion after scattering or burial — scatter or bury most of the ashes, and keep a small amount at home.
A travelling or bedside memorial — a small urn that's easy to display or keep near you.
Pets — keep a little of a beloved dog or cat in a keepsake, on its own or alongside a larger pet urn.

How much do keepsake urns hold?

A keepsake urn holds a small, symbolic amount of ashes — typically 2–3 tablespoons (about 3–5 cubic inches). It is not meant to hold all of an adult's ashes; for that you need a full-size urn of around 200 cubic inches. See our Urn Size Guide for the full chart.

How to divide ashes between family members

Dividing ashes is simple and can be done gently at home:

Decide how many keepsakes you need (one per person), plus a main urn for the remainder if you'd like one.
Using a small spoon or the funnel many keepsakes include, add a few tablespoons to each keepsake.
Secure each lid. Our keepsakes have a threaded screw-top lid and ship in a velvet pouch.

There's no rule about exact amounts — what matters is that each person has something meaningful to hold.

Matching keepsake sets

Several CustomUrns designs are available as a main urn with matching keepsakes — bundled in sets of 1, 2, or 4 — so the whole family shares the same design. It's a beautiful way to stay connected: one tribute, kept in several homes. Browse designs with matching keepsakes across our collections, including our pet urns.

Frequently asked questions

Can a keepsake urn hold all of an adult's ashes?

No. A keepsake holds only a small portion (2–3 tablespoons). For a full set of adult ashes you need a standard urn of about 200 cubic inches — see the Urn Size Guide.