The boxes are packed, the trucks are loaded and I’m completely moved out of my first Flagstaff apartment.
I kind of teased it a little bit way way back, but I snapped a few photos of my unit right before I moved out and I wanted to share them, because as much as I hated my leasing office and property management group, I did love the way I decorated this cookie cutter unit and made it totally my own.
I don’t think I ever mentioned where, exactly, I was living in Flagstaff (for security reasons), but now that I’m moved out, I feel totally comfortable telling you.
I was living at Elevation Apartments and I 1,000 percent WOULD NOT EVER RECOMMEND LEASING THERE.
Seriously, they’re god awful. I still need to get around to leaving a lengthy Google review.
Anyway. I digress.
While Elevation’s leasing office absolutely sucked, there were a few things I liked about this apartment. I liked the unique layout and the big windows.
I was also lucky enough to have a view of Mount Elden, even though it was marred with power lines and a parking lot, and my balcony was right off the complex’s main drag and a speed bump, so I had to deal with constant engine revving and obnoxious sound systems.
I mentioned it in my last apartment-related post, but I was so excited to have my own space again after Peace Corps/ unemployment, so I kind of went all out in decorating.
There were a few things that I had planned to do, still — and I had planned on staying in this unit for longer than one year — but life happens. I ended up with two strays a dog and a boyfriend, and we needed a larger apartment with a yard that let us have a husky on our lease.
So, I packed up and moved out!
A few things I really loved about this space.
I really loved that the natural light let me foster my mini urban jungle. I liked the darker vinyl floors and I liked, of course, my decorations.
I like that I had to buy pretty much everything furniture-wise for this apartment because I moved to Arizona with pretty much nothing, so everything was custom purchased for this space and fit (both style-wise and space-wise) perfectly.
There were also things I hated, other than the poorly-managed leasing office.
I hated the cheap vinyl countertops, the builders grade boob lights, the awkwardly large bathroom, the bedroom carpeting, the lack of storage space and the cheap appliances.
I also hated the location. It was a good 15-minute drive from downtown Flagstaff, and was in the industrial part of the city, next to the dog food plant.
So, yeah, it smelled like Purina. Often.
I’d planned to do a few more things with this apartment before I ended up moving out.
I wanted to put a coffee bar that matched the actual bar across from my island.
I also wanted to fully furnish my balcony and decorate a few more empty walls in the apartment.
I feel like apartments are always, ALWAYS a work in progress, and I never really feel like they’re ever quite finished until I move out.
And even then, I always still wrap up my lease with a slew of unfinished projects I meant to get around to.
But, I’m excited to be in a new apartment in a better part of town!
With a pretty cool roommate.
And a new chance to decorate and furnish. Stay tuned to see photos of the new place!
This post was originally published Nov. 9, 2021. Its timestamp has been updated.
