It’s plausible that nearly everyone has dreamt of owning a boat at some point in their life. However, as idyllic as living in a houseboat may seem, it’s not always all that it’s cracked up to be.
From a consideration of costs to staying on top of your houseboat safety, there are quite a lot of things to consider. And while it’s not necessarily a bad thing to want to live on a houseboat, there are many additional tips and tricks you need to consider if this is the life you want to live (or are currently living).
Here are some of the top tips you must abide by.
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Make Boat Safety A Priority
Of course, it’s always important to prioritize your health, but living on a houseboat also requires you to consider the safety of your vessel. You must consider:
- Installing carbon monoxide detectors to ensure that you are getting good ventilation throughout your entire houseboat. These will alert you in the case deadly carbon monoxide emissions are released into the air.
- Installing fire alarms to make sure you are alerted if a fire is to occur anywhere on the boat. This will give you ample time to remove yourself and any loved ones or pets away from the source of the fire and to relative safety while the situation is resolved.
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Become More Self-Reliant
Unlike a house on land, even the slightest malfunction with a houseboat could result in it sinking into the water, taking your belongings with it.
By teaching yourself key practical skills to fix basic things around your houseboat, you can resolve many of the smaller malfunctions quickly and easily before requiring professional input.
Houseboats also don’t come with water and electric supplies, postal delivery, or garbage collection, and require you to sort out such services. By ensuring you are self-reliant, you will be unphased when having to make these arrangements.
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Make Sure You Are Organized
Opting to live your life on a houseboat means you will have much less room than you would in a typical home. As a result, you must only be open to only keeping truly important belongings at any given time.
All of the items you keep on your houseboat must perform double duty. For example, you can select a bed frame with extra storage underneath rather than having additional boxes dotted around your home. This type of limited storage space will keep the list of non-important items right down.
Overall, you must be resourceful with your belongings and how you use them while on your houseboat. By staying organized and keeping track of everything you own, you are well on the way to living a happy and fulfilling life on a houseboat.
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Make Sure To Pencil In Private Time
Living on a houseboat can be more hectic than living in a home on land, especially if you’re rooming with someone else. This means that if you live on a houseboat, there is a distinct lack of privacy available for you to incorporate into your daily life.
This is because houseboats usually have thinner walls and less open space for you to sit in and stop yourself from becoming overwhelmed.
The best way to combat this issue is to set aside some specific time to enjoy your solitude. After all, it’s a lot more difficult to simply take yourself off for a walk when you live on a houseboat!
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Stay On Top Of Your Financial Situation
It’s always a good idea to remain on top of your finances. Like any land-based home, making sure you pay all of your bills and fees on time is a great way to prevent yourself from drowning in stress.
However, if you’re living on a houseboat to save lots of money, you might want to think again! The cost of docking fees, transport costs, boat repairs, replacement parts, and maintenance costs can quickly add up.
The general rule of thumb is to account for around 10% of the boat’s total value for your annual insurance, dockage, and maintenance bill. Knowing you have the money on hand to fix issues that arise will make your life less stressful.
Summary
These are some of the top tips for living on a houseboat. By taking time for yourself, learning basic maintenance, and staying on top of your finances, you will possess the tools to live a relatively painless life on a houseboat!
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