I live on a boat with my man… it’s freezing in the winter and we pay a fortune to wash clothes, but we have no regrets

A WOMAN who lives on a boat with her husband and dog has shared the not-so-glamorous aspects that people don’t usually talk about.

Over the years, more and more people have given up ‘traditional’ homes to live in a van or on a boat – and married couple Esmée and Paddy are no exception.

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Since the beginning of their “boat life”, the two have been very open about their experiences and share the pros and cons on TikTok.

And with winter in full force, life wasn’t exactly glamorous.

“The temperatures have dropped here in the UK so it was quite chilly on board,” Esmée revealed in her video.

To keep warm, the young woman had to cuddle with the couple’s pet, Peggy, since Paddy was away.

“We woke up this morning to find that our electricity meter had expired overnight.

“This meant that heaters, dehumidifiers and electric blankets weren’t working and the temperature in the cabin was really -4C.”

To start the day, Esmee finally managed to get out of bed and then promptly removed the sheets that had become damp from all that morning condensation.

After shifting into layers, she took Peggy for a walk and also checked out the nearby laundromat at the marina.

“This works pretty well for us and costs around £6 a wash, which we only plan to do 5 or 6 times a month.

“Once that was settled I went to the port office to top up our electricity card so I could get back on board, make coffee and turn on the heat – much to Peggy’s delight,” she laughed.

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But despite the winter woes, Esmée claimed the couple love the lifestyle.

“We have absolutely no regrets!

“It’s a lot of work preparing it for a big voyage, but we love living on board, even in winter.”

The two aren’t the only ones who have given up their ‘normal’ life to live in a bohemian home – 22-year-old Amélise Burr spends her days in a van.

After a while of saving, Amélise from Cambridge bought a van and transformed it with bargains and skills she learned along the way.

“I did this because life after the death of my grandmother and years of housing problems felt like something I had to endure rather than enjoy.

“So I built a tiny home that I could live in anywhere,” she opened up on social media.

“It took me 1.5 years and I built it for less than £4,000.

“Now I live where I want and I can finally live how I want.

“I have next to no living expenses and can spend my money on experiences and things that I like.”

She has since shared the journey on TikTok, where her life in a van has garnered her more than 192,000 fans.

For the 22-year-old, whose parents also live in a van, the popular social media platform is a way to encourage others to “go against the grain”.

“Face your fears, you will not stay on this planet for long.

“It would be a shame to dim your light to fit in.”

The lifestyle has attracted many people online, some of whom have also given thought to Amélise’s daily life.

When washing her hair, for example, the 22-year-old Briton showed that she has to be quick.

“First I turn on my gas heater,” she demonstrates in a video.

”Takes about 15 minutes to heat up and has 8L of hot water.”

As soon as the water is hot enough, she starts washing her hair – but since the water is limited, she only has four to five minutes.

“I can only make a shampoo, but it’s good enough.

“Then I put my curlers in like a godly queen and just let my hair air dry.

“The fight is very real,” she chuckled in the comments.