These are a few of my favorite things: Local Handmade Items and Shopee Finds

I have explored a part of myself which yearns to be a minimalist and no-spend individual, but I can’t help spending on things which bring me joy. I also consider some of these things to be essential because they help in productivity, wellness, and daily inspiration.

I was also glad that when I read something about this in “The Game of Life and How to Play It” by Florence Scovel Shin. The author said that when you get a nudge from the universe to spend on something, do it because it will help circulate money in the economy. What you give out comes back to you too.

From whatever monthly income I receive, I make sure to pay my obligations first, set aside an amount for my savings, and then the rest I buy for my needs and wants. I make sure that I don’t spend beyond what money I have left after mortgage, bills, groceries, and savings. If I want to buy something, but no longer have the budget for it, I simply let it go.

So here are the things that I have bought which inspire, motivate, and bring joy to my everyday life.

Sage

I learned about sage smudging when I was looking for ways to clear my energy and that of the space around me. I also saw some community members recommending the use of sage to clear, protect, and invite abundance to our space. There are local sellers on Shopee that sell sage sticks, and it usually arrives here in Davao in 5 – 7 days. For more info on the benefits of sage smudging, check out this informativeguide.

Desk plants

I have always loved gardening since I was a kid, and this quarantine period made me join the Plantita bandwagon and renew my love for gardening. I started buying plants again and set some on my desk to freshen up my space. I also find so much joy in germinating seeds in tissue and planting them at our garden. This seemingly unrelated activity to the usual things I focus my life on had unexpected benefits to my well-being.

Candle holder

I bought this candle holder at Unitop for 100 pesos (2 dollars) a few years ago. It already has a dent, but I still keep it on my desk. I love its design and how good it looks whenever I light a candle in it.

Rattan crafts

Whenever there is a trade fair or a craft business selling rattan crafts, I would most probably buy from them even if I don’t need it. It reminds me of the richness of our culture’s artistry and the talent of our local craftspeople. Some I ended up giving as gifts, and some I keep to store my accessories.

Coffee filter

I think this is the best purchase I had this year. This innovative coffee and tea filter is made by members of the Tagakaolu tribe in Malita. Using it is quite easy, because it functions as a regular pour over drip filter. My first use of it made coffee taste so good. This is now my go-to coffee maker in the morning. I also didn’t expect how easy it is to clean. I just dump the coffee grounds in our compost pit, wash it off with water and dishwashing detergent, and it becomes pristine. You can buy this handy coffee filter from The EcopotatoShop.

Sandalwood incense

This is an impulse purchase from Shopee, but I’m glad I bought it. An incense holder comes with this set of incense. I burn an incense whenever I feel like the energy of my space is dense. I also read that it’s ghost month (when things are a bit messed up) up until September 15, so I try to use an incense to protect and bless our home.

Handmade laptop sleeve

I’ve always wanted to buy this laptop sleeve from Woven.ph ever since I saw it on Facebook. The laptop sleeve is quite pricey, but when I got extra cash from a side gig, I was finally able to buy it. This item was handmade by weavers from Basey, Samar. This purchase was all worth it. If I’m going to buy an essential thing in my life, let it be from a business that sustains local communities.

iPad and Apple pencil

It wasn’t difficult for me to get this iPad because I got this from a Smart postpaid plan. I had an initial cash out of around 2000 pesos (40 dollars) and monthly payment of 999 pesos (20 dollars) to get this iPad. I bought this Apple pencil from my sister (which she allowed me to pay 7 months later, ha!). I have now been paperless for a year. All my notes and to-do lists I do on my iPad. There are times I use it for work, especially when we make tutorials. I also find it very useful when it comes to productivity and health apps.

Inpods 12 with soot sprite silicon case

The sound quality of Inpods 12 is not that amazing, but it’s good enough for me. I’m glad that I don’t have to deal with the usual wires that comes with earphones. I find it extremely useful when I do sitting or lying down meditation, since it doesn’t have to be physically connected to my phone. My usual self couldn’t go out of the house or commute without listening to music, so I bring this wherever I go.

Handmade earrings

There is a very talented accessories designer in my hometown, called Dabaw Bahandi. I bought this earrings from her at Big Bad Wolf last year. These earrings really give that “extra special” vibe whenever I wear it.

 

I have also made it a point to shop local as much as possible. For anything I need at home, I filter my search in Shoppe or Facebook to sellers based in Davao or Mindanao. If I can’t find anyone selling what I need in my local region, I will look for sellers based in Visayas or Luzon. For those things I can’t find anyone selling from the Philippines, I try to find sellers based here who are dropshipping so that a part of the profits will still support a local seller here.

Let me know of other great finds from local sellers which you want to recommend in the comments below. Let’s support the local economy J