And the straightforward new configuration for collection paragraph

config/sync/field.field.paragraph.drutopia_collection.field_items.yml

@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+langcode: en
+status: true
+dependencies:
+  config:
+    - field.storage.paragraph.field_items
+    - node.type.article
+    - node.type.blog
+    - node.type.people
+    - paragraphs.paragraphs_type.drutopia_collection
+id: paragraph.drutopia_collection.field_items
+field_name: field_items
+entity_type: paragraph
+bundle: drutopia_collection
+label: Items
+description: 'Select any other content on the site to display as a list of teasers by typing words from the title and looking for the autocompletion of the content you want in the collection. You can change the order after adding each item.'
+required: true
+translatable: false
+default_value: {  }
+default_value_callback: ''
+settings:
+  handler: 'default:node'
+  handler_settings:
+    target_bundles:
+      article: article
+      blog: blog
+      people: people
+    sort:
+      field: changed
+      direction: DESC
+    auto_create: false
+    auto_create_bundle: article
+field_type: entity_reference