Why life is simpler on a boat

Living on a boat. Is it simpler than living on land? For the most part, yes. Now that we’ve been living on water for almost two years, here’s why our life is simpler on a boat.

Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.

Confucius

We didn’t live an overly complicated life before we moved onto the boat. I mean, really, we like the simple things in life. And I was already working from home which probably remains the biggest we ever did to simplify life – commuting 3+ hours a day does not make a simple life.

But living on a boat did take simple to a whole new level:

1. Our Tollycraft 37 has about 250 square feet of living space. So vacuuming and dusting is pretty quick. And with this limited space, we have donated and sold the majority of our stuff. What remains is meaningful and useful.
2. I’ve never been a girl with lots of clothes but my clothes now fit into six travel cubes of varying sizes and one drawer. So I pretty much wear everything I own and if I’m not it’s either getting donated or repurposed.
3. I watch a lot of HGTV and I’ve never had a kitchen as big as what some people consider a bare minimum. I wonder what they would think about galley? Well, to each there own and it works for us. And I no longer have those weird little tools I maybe used once a year. If it’s on the boat, I’m using it regularly and it better have more than one function!
4. In fact, we got rid of our microwave. Do you know just how much space even a small one takes up??? In it’s space, I have my Instant Pot, Kitchen Aid mixer, toaster and slow cooker. And honestly? I don’t miss the microwave.
5. And while it’s possible to prepare elaborate meals even in this small space, I gravitate to the simple meals we love. This keeps our pantry small and manageable and the grocery budget in check.  And it’s gratifying to enjoy our time together rather than in the kitchen.
6. We’re already on the boat. Now that sounds obvious, but we used to spend most weekends travelling to and from our boat which meant packing on Friday, putting things away on the boat and then repacking to come home on Sunday.
7. Just sitting in our cockpit (which on a Tollycraft 37 sedan is bigger than the deck we had at our condo) watching the ducks learn to fly and the herons and eagles coming and going is better entertainment than anything on TV.

Being positive does not mean ignoring the negative. Being positive means overcoming the negative

Unknown

A few things aren’t quite as simple as when we lived on land. But in reality they aren’t that big of a deal and actually have their own silver linings.

1. I now use our marina’s laundry facilities instead of our own. Not a big deal until the rain is coming sideways or it’s during one our few days of snow. But with fewer clothes, and, trust me, none of them require special care or ironing, it’s done once a week and we’re good to go.
2. Our shower is much smaller and holds our dirty clothes basket. And timing the manual drain with the water pump does take some getting used to. (Not getting that right, means tripping a breaker and trying to get to the electrical panel without dripping too much water everywhere). On the plus side, it doesn’t take long to clean the shower (or the bathroom for that matter).
3. Speaking of the bathroom, we use a composting toilet. Which is definitely not as simple as the flush and forget about it toilets we use on land. But, it is a simple set-up with little chance of failure (which is a big plus on a boat). And we use no water.

Living simply makes loving simple.

bell hooks

I agree. Living simply IS making loving simple. We spend more time together without needing to be busy. And there is simply less going on in our lives on daily basis. It’s quieter (literally and figuratively) which let’s us listen to each other. I know I’m happier with this simpler life. And why life is simpler on a boat.

Stay safe and happy cruising!