Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Home Funerals

When death occurs most of us are flummoxed.  We do not know what to do.  And then suddenly there is SO much to do.  And given that we are grieving it is difficult to move through all that needs to be done.  It is said that there are 128 things that need to be done when and after someone dies.  Probably the first thing to do is to call a funeral home.  Their function is to remove and handle and prepare the body.  But many states allow you to do this yourself in your own home.  You can do-it-yourself (DIY).  You can provide/build your own casket.  And then clean and dress the body and have a viewing.  You will need to get a death certificate on your own from your local town / municipal office.  And you will need a Permit for Dispositon of Human Remains to transport the body. Embalming is NOT mandatory.  It can be a good idea depending on how things evolve but it is money you can save whether you use a funeral home or not.  The less you involve a funeral home / cemetery, the more money you will save.  Most of us could not do this and would not, but it is permissible in many states.  Sometimes you simply need a licensed funeral director to oversee the process.  Many funeral directors do not lie about do-it-yourself funerals when they say it cannot be done in a particular state.  They are simply misinformed.  Some states even allow backyard burials, subject to local laws/zoning.