When you've suffered a significant loss, it's hard to know what to do next. Although their affairs are in order and the funeral has been conducted, the grieving process is usually only just beginning.

For closure, it's important to find ways to remember their story and your memories together, so that when you reflect on their passing, you can avoid focusing on the death itself and more on their wonderful life. Here are a few ways to make sure they are never forgotten.

Donate on their behalf

Donating to charities and research organisations is a beautiful way to mark the memory of your loved one and provides important funding for causes that were important to your loved one while they were alive. This kind, final gesture is a special way to make sure their memory lasts forever in the minds of the lives they touched. Alternatively, you can sponsor a local park or garden area on their behalf, who will then display a memorial plaque to the person on a bench or memorial for a designated period of time, ensuring their precious memory can be shared by all who visit.

Make their memorial site special

Oftentimes, grave sites can bring back sad memories of the persons passing, and can be extremely difficult places to visit to try to remember them. By placing a few items that were important or special to your loved one on the grave marker (with permission from the cemetery ground staff), you can inject more of their personality into the site, and ensure that when you visit, you can reflect on all your happy memories together. If you are tasked with choosing where to spread their ashes, this can be an extremely stressful decision. Within legal means, find a place that was special to both of you, where you can always go to remember them and that brings back happy memories for you, so you can remember them as they would want to be remembered.

Host an annual memorial event.

If the person had a particular special interest, skill or pastime, a lovely way to remember them can be to organise an annual event in their honour. If they were an avid golfer, you could hold a memorial golf day for their family and friends. If they loved cycling, you could host a special trip in their honour as well. Even if they just loved to fire up the BBQ and have their friends over, you could host an annual dinner to celebrate their life. There are a range of activities you can do as a group to get together and remember their memories and impact on your life in a happy way.

Create an obituary

There are several ways that My Tributes can help to ensure your loved one's memories stay alive forever. Having a professional journalist create an Obituary to share their story in the Newspaper is the perfect way to create an eternal archive of their life, share their story with the community and preserve their memory for generations to come. As well as published in the newspaper and a framed copy sent to you, the obituary will be placed online forever at mytributes.com.au/obituries

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If you are feeling overwhelmed at this time, please remember there is support available.

Beyond Blue provides Australians with information and support to improve their mental health. Call 1300 22 46 36 or visit beyondblue.org.au for more information.

Lifeline Australia provides Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24-hour crisis support. Call 13 11 14 or visit lifeline.org.au for more information.