David's emporium is your one stop shop for everything! Here they have tools, paint, art supplies,…read morecrafts, material, nick-nacks, appliances, wigs and my favourite.....dress-ups! It's at David's you are able to find anything and everything suitable for a party, or if you're after something on the cheap. Located on Cavendish Drive in Manukau, it's only really convenient if you're in the area. There is plenty of onsite parking available. I have been here a number of times to pick up bits and pieces with my boyfriend, who is really in to art. He finds that they always have great sales on their canvases, sketch books and cheap paint brushes that he might need for touching up. Here I have managed to purchase lint rollers and a foot exfoliator, both of these cost next to nothing, I was very impressed.

Nood is located in the new Apex shopping precinct opposite Sylvia Park. Its a fairly new…read moreestablishment and out of habit I always like to visit if I'm the area. What makes Nood so interesting is that they have a lot of very different products at different price points. From novelty mini books and plush toys to very expensive duvets, Nood certainly doesn't put itself under one umbrella. The Apex store is very big and split in two and red and black are the dominant colours in here- I love the decor in here. On one side you have a lot of bedding, room furniture, knick knacks, clocks; on the other is kitchenware (I love their stuff on this side!) and a few bargain items too. Their high end items are great to look at; there have been a few clocks I've definitely been eyeing up! But a lot of their products are hugely design-based and really seem like one of a kind/limited edition type stuff. On the other end of the spectrum they've got some affordable items, particularly their glasses and other kitchenware, and their sales are always worth making time for. I only own one item from Nood and its this awesome bullet cocktail shaker- since I received it as a gift I've been looking for a few more things to add to my Nood collection!

I first discovered Little White Box at the Kraftbomb market. They sell a range of cute and dainty…read morehand crafted ceramics, mainly ornaments and kitchenware. They are all handpainted and made right here in Auckland. I have purchased a few hanging ornaments of birds and an angel and they are really special. I see now, looking at the products on their website there some cute bunny rabbit designs too. As for the pottery range, I really like the bowls/cups that have red hearts painted on them, and the polkadots and the blue stars. These would make a great addition to any kitchen. The Kraftbomb market is held every last Sunday of the month at the Grey Lynn Community Centre in Auckland 11am-2pm, and is the perfect way to spend a lazy sunday!

Recently I stopped into Book Marque in Auckland's lovely International Airport; they sell an array…read moreof books as the name alludes too, however they also had a nice range of food - I can personally recommend their chocolate croissant warmed with gooey goodness (they called it a 'danish' however). and only for $2.20, very cheap any where but particularly for airport food! Coffee was great too, 'Allpress' brand for those coffee fans out there. Plenty of cosy couches or bar stools to choose from close at hand. Service was very professional and friendly, almost restaurant standard. The books available, obviously a range of travel guides, a pillar dedicated to the top ten best sellers and a large magazine rack amongst a few others to select from. I love this airport and this recent experience here simply adds to the quality on offer overall.

Stationery stores have become huge over the last couple of years with the likes of Typo and…read moreSmiggle. In my fair and honest opinion, Smiggle has nothing on Typo. But in their defence I think their products or more aimed at kids and I know my sister gets lots of stuff from here for her classroom (she is a teacher). The thing I do like about Smiggle is how colourful the stores are, and how everything is colour coordinated. If I didn't get my stationery for free I would probably get more stuff from here, but I do always come and have a look for ideas for presents for my cousins and they always seem to like the stuff from here.

Walker & Hall, in particular the Botany branch, is one my favourite jewellery stores. It stocks all…read morethe brands I enjoy browsing through and has really been a godsend for beautiful gifts for friends. The store itself is narrow but there's enough room to walk around and browse through. The ladies here are usually quite good at giving you some breathing space- it can take a while to really find that one great piece!- and are always willing to gift wrap something up for me, a really nice touch. There's a great combination of stuff in here, at the price points start pretty low (at least for good jewellery). The ever popular Karen Walker line is a staple here of course; whether you're after something sterling silver or pure gold, you'll find it. Stolen Girlfriends Club is prominent here aswell and they've got some great contemporary pieces- I just about want to buy all of them! Meadowlark also does some beautiful jewellery- I love their stacker rings and and pendants, and they've also got some funky charms if you're into those too. I love Pandora rings, they are so good for everyday wear and I love the plain colours they do- Walker & Hall has a great selection of these aswell. Whether its an epic engagement ring or another piece to add to your collection, Walker & Hall is really just fabulous. There's so much variety in the items they stock and its all great New Zealand brands. A great way to support national talent as well as making a worthwhile purchase.

A2Z is probably my favourite dollar store in the mall, simply because they sell some pretty good…read morestuff and the staff here great. On my last-minute shopping trips to pick up ribbon, crepe paper or something similar I usually stop by here. The prices are awesome and a little cheaper than similar stores in the mall. It's quite a big store too, with two sets of aisles (front and back of the store), with the back wall just filled with children's toys. They're not the best quality but what you'd expect given the cheap price. There are great little knick knacks here for stocking fillers, prank gifts or that difficult Secret Santa gift for your co-worker. These things take a bit of a hunt through the store to find though, so I'd suggest a couple of extra minutes out of your shopping time to see what you can find. In all my experiences here, the staff have been awesome. If you're in a rush and don't have time to look for what you're after, they'll know exactly what aisle and where to find it. I've found this to be pretty rare in retail these days.

The Warehouse in Manukau has seen a couple of renovations happen over the last few years, my…read morefavourite being their Film, TV and Books section- finally a little order in that place! While there are a few more branches close by now, this one is still the busiest from what I can tell, and much easier to navigate yourself through the store. It is what it is; a massive store selling just about anything and everything. It's my favourite branch because its close to home and doesn't really try to be anything but what it is. It's full of bargains and they seem to highlight these a lot more than other Warehouse branches, at least in my observations. There's usually great deals on DVDs and fragrances, and this place goes mad when there's a great sale on. I suffer from terrible hayfever, but I've had to endure going to the greenhouse here. It's a great addition and pretty popular too! The prices here are great and my family has gone with a few new houseplants on several occasions. The other great part about The Warehouse is The Hollywood bakery that sits in the foyer. It's not the best Hollywood Bakery BUT it's great to sit down and have a bite to eat on a Saturday morning after some shopping here, or even to pick up one of their awesome thickshakes. The Girl Guides are here just outside the building every year selling their amazing biscuits, I go here every year just for these!