How to Plan a Funeral Quickly
How to Plan a Funeral Quickly
There are times when planning a funeral is something that needs to happen quickly and with a minimal hassle. Whether you are dealing with a busy schedule of your own, you have family coming in from out of town and can’t commit to a lengthy funeral planning process, or you simply cannot handle the idea of lingering over the details, there are ways to cut back on the time required—and to still enjoy a beautiful, memorable goodbye.
- Purchase Package Deals: Most funeral homes offer funeral packages that drastically reduce how many decisions you will need to make. Instead of buying your own funeral flowers, choosing a lining to go with a casket, finding a printer for the funeral pamphlets, and other details, you can opt for a package that already includes most of items you will need. In many cases, these packages also include things like having the obituary written and published for you.
- Ask for a Checklist: If you tell the funeral director that you are overwhelmed or unable to devote much time to the funeral plans, they should be able to provide a checklist that walks you through each step of the process. This can help keep you organized and move you through the funeral plans that much faster.
- Delegate Tasks: After a death occurs, people like to stay busy and contribute in any way they can. Instead of asking for more casseroles, delegate funeral planning tasks. Someone else can just as easily make a photo collage, come up with funeral favors, make the musical selections, and organize the funeral luncheon. People will want to help – do not be afraid to ask.
- Choose Direct Cremation/Burial: Many of the more time-consuming funeral planning tasks have to do with the service rather than the body disposition itself. By opting for direct burial or direct cremation, you can skip the ceremonies. This has the added advantage of allowing you to hold a more formal memorial service later, when you might have more time to devote to the task.
- Plan in Advance: The fastest way to make a funeral happen is to have it planned ahead of time. When a loved one lays out all their wishes or makes financial preparations in advance, you typically only have to sign a few papers and have everything taken care of.
There are many reasons to want a funeral to happen quickly—if it is holiday season, if your grief is overwhelming, or if you did not know the deceased very well. There is no rule that says funeral planning has to be a lengthy process, and funeral homes today are happy to help streamline the plans so that you can return to your life—and to your grief—that much faster.
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