16 Products to Support #ShopSmall and Help You Survive Quarantine

With many state shelter-in-place orders still in full effect, brands of all sizes are facing increasing challenges competing with big-box retailers. Help support smaller brands when you #shopsmall and make purchases directly from their e-commerce stores. 

1.) There’s no getting around it: we’re all spending a lot more time inside. There’s no better time to invest in your comfort with a new fully organic mattress from Avocado, complete with up to 1,414 pocketed support coils and made from fully certified organic latex, wool, and cotton. Your back (and the planet) will thank you.

2.) Spending more time on the couch instead? This super cozy throw from Linen House is made with a shaggy texture perfect for snuggling up with while you gaze longingly at the world outside. This one comes in a few different colors but the warm Chai color is certain to warm up any room. Plus most color options (including the chai) are currently on sale!

3.) Since you’re investing in your own creature comforts, you might as well hook up your furry companions too with a luxurious memory foam pet bed from Pet P.L.A.Y. Aptly named the “California Dreaming,” this 100% high-density memory foam mattress comes in three sizes and three colors, perfect for pets of all sizes (and probably humans too, not that I’ve taken a nap in a dog bed before...).

4.) If your pup is also going through some ruff times during quarantine, then be sure to check out these wholesome, personalized supplements from Goodboy. Made in the USA with no unnecessary additives or fillers, each package is catered specifically for your dog’s needs and can assist with everything from gut health to stress and anxiety.

5.) If you’re quarantine-ing with roommates or a significant other, there’s no better way to ignite interpersonal competition and rivalry than through board games. I highly recommend Ticket To Ride: Europe from BoardGameBliss — it’s the perfect blend of strategy and sabotage. Just remember to compete with caution; no one’s 100% sure when we’ll be allowed out again.

6.) Don’t have mountains of time to invest in a strategy board game? Too busy baking bread, hopping on Zoom calls, and falling asleep in front of Netflix for the second time this morning? Grab the ever-popular Exploding Kittens card game, which can usually be played in just a few short minutes.

7.) I’ve been told that another important piece of self-care is to remember to take care of your skin. Go-To Skincare’s Reset Your Skin bundle has everything you need to make sure as soon as quarantine is over you can step out into the new world g l o w i n g. ✨

8.) If you’re like me and have slowly moved from spending hours laying down in your bed, to your sofa, to your dog’s memory foam bed, to sitting at your desk in front of your computer, then you’re probably starting to wonder why your back feels so horrible. Well, I have great news: Core Products International has you covered with their Sitback Rest Lumbar Support Cushion. It’s made from contoured foam and has support wings to provide side support and help keep you sitting properly.

9.) Traveling may currently feel more like a distant memory or working theoretical concept, but if you find yourself daydreaming about what 2021 might be like, it’s best to be prepared for any potential adventures with a Travel Bag from Topo Designs. I personally love the freedom of one bag travel and highly recommend giving it a try with this mid-sized 30-liter version.

10.) Ever wondered why you keep waking up groggy every morning? It definitely couldn’t be from staying up until 3 am browsing Twitter, so best to rule out all of the other possibilities with the Withings Sleep Analyzer. It not only provides full sleep analysis as well as detects sleep apnea, but it’ll also be sure to tell you what you’ve known all along: turn your phone off and go to bed at a reasonable hour.

11.) If you’re still waking up tired (or just need fuel for your 3 am Twitter conspiracy threads), then grab a few bags of 100% Kona Coffee from the Hawaii Coffee Company. And while you’re at it…

12.) Tack on a few packs of Honey Stroopwafels — the perfect snack to place on top of your coffee mug. Because you’ll definitely start working out... tomorrow...

13.)...with virtual Zumba classes!

14.) One thing that always seems to get me when I go out for my daily allotment of leg stretching and fresh air is just how bright the sun is. I mean, do you remember it being that bright? I certainly don’t. Which is why I definitely plan on picking up a pair of Ventura sunglasses from Shady Rays. They’ll protect your eyes from harmful UV rays with polarized and shatter-resistant lenses and come in a timeless black tortoise pattern. 😎

15.) If you’re looking for a fun activity that involves both collecting fond memories and reliving a period of time when people were actually encouraged to be around each other, then definitely consider creating your own hardcover photo book through Artifact Uprising. It’s as easy as uploading photos from your phone or digital camera and in a few weeks, you’ll have a high-quality coffee table style book in your mailbox. You could even title it “Any Year Except 2020.”

16.) Finally, if you’re like me and have been washing your hands nonstop since early March, you may have started to notice that your skin is a tiny bit drier than usual. Solve that problem with some fast-absorbing, nutrient-rich hand cream from Glossier. It’ll keep your hands silky smooth and healthy well into your 20th hand washing of the day.

And there you have it! 16 items that’ll not only help make your life a little nicer in a time of stress and uncertainty but will also help support small businesses working hard to see things through to the other side.

If you’re interested in more cool items, be sure to #ShopSmall using our D2C Shopping List!

Last updated on September 16th, 2022.