With people cooped up for months on end, some people started filling their homes with items that made them more habitable, like plants and decorative pieces. The term “cocooning” resurfaced and after eight months, these are some of the things we’ve purchased.
The Xiaomi Mijia mop I bought online was one of my best purchases, because it doesn’t require any manual wringing. It has a built-in trigger on the handle that you press so a fine mist of bleach solution or plain water (your choice) is released. Just swipe over your floor several times until it’s dry and gleaming. I even wrote a poem about it.
When we began working from home, I initially made do with a makeshift desk, until I caved and bought a sleek wood and metal laptop desk from Sustainably Made by Marsse. The wood they use for the tabletop is harvested from their sustainable tree farm in Pangasinan province. I like that it doesn’t look like a laptop table. It can also serve as a side table.
I also bought a laptop stand because the ad kept popping up on my social media feeds. The stand actually works because now I can raise my laptop screen to a height where I don’t have to slouch or strain my neck. The rose gold color makes it look more expensive than it actually is. —Raoul J. Chee Kee
Reusable masks
I understand that masks are a must during this pandemic, but like any Filipino, I couldn’t help but impose my own tastes on the masks when the paranoia died down. The N95 masks were nowhere to be found at the beginning, so it was the surgical masks for me, and since they were just too loose for comfort, I would either twist the ear loops or doubled them up.
You have to discard those masks after a few uses, though. I got a black cloth one that fit perfectly, but of course, you can only use it so much, so I just use it around the building. When Uniqlo began offering their AIRism masks, I couldn’t resist—they’re soft and great—but you have to read the small print: You can only use one 20 times. —Ruel S. De Vera INQ