The first time I stepped foot on a houseboat as a young girl, the “houseboat living” bug bit me. A house floating on water?
Instead of a manicured lawn, you get lapping waves. No formal front entrance. You enter into the adventure stepping across a narrow plank-way to a side door. From the front deck you can launch your kayak for a spin around the lake, or take the plunge and jump in. Honestly. I wondered how anything this good could be real.
I made a vow then and there. Houseboat living. This will be me. Someday.
That someday is now.
What makes a houseboat a houseboat?
It seems like each person you talk to has their own definition. Some call them floating homes, and some call them houseboats. Either way, a houseboat is exactly what is sounds like: a home that floats on the water. And they can range from a small shack to an expansive and elegant home.
There are cruising and non-cruising houseboats. The cruising style means they have some type of engine to move about on the water. The non-cruising houseboats aren’t meant to travel, and are moored and tied up to a slip or a dock. These have no engines, gas tanks or steerings wheels. They’re more “house” than “boat,” which is why they’re called houseboats.
Living in Seattle with a vibrant houseboat community, made it easy to keep the dream alive. Not to mention, the hit movie “Sleepless in Seattle.” The romance and intrigue of starting and ending each day living afloat sparked my imagination, and curiosity, to no end.
When the opportunity recently came up to live in a houseboat, I knew that my someday was now. “Yes, yes I will!” And just like that, the adventure began. . . in the rainy, blustery month of December.
Questions? Yes, I had so many. If I waited to try and answer all the questions, I knew would never move forward. So this time, I said yes to houseboat living trusting the answers would unfold along the journey. It’s all about embracing the adventure, right?
Life at it’s simplest. Houseboats are small. I began sorting and tossing to prepare for my new life afloat. There’s very little storage space on a houseboat, so organizing is key.
Instead of moving 10 sets of towels, you keep your best two. Who really needs 8 vases? And what about all those random coffee mugs you have collected over the years. This is the time to donate so someone else can enjoy your treasures. You only keep what you need and love.
Moving day instantly transported me to my new lifestyle. It felt as if my new home was nestled into a summer camp on the beach . . . in the off-season. This colorful community was my new every day.
Looking out at water from every window, boats cleated to the docks of my neighbors homes, air mattresses tucked up on their sides waiting for summer, paddles, life rings, peace and quiet, gentle movement from the wind and rain . . . if it was this magical now in the cold and dark December, I could only imagine what the sunny days ahead would feel like.
As I lay my head down on my pillow my first night there, I listened to the pouring rain on the roof and could feel the sway in the wind. I felt peace, calmness, and gratefulness sweep over me . . . layered with excitement, anticipation and the surprise of what lies ahead. It hardly felt real, but one thing was sure. God knows my heart. My dream starts now.
Stay tuned and share the journey with me!
What about you?
Are you ready to live your dream?
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