How to Shop a TJ Maxx/HomeGoods Situation

There's a strategy behind finding the good stuff

I have been shopping at TJ Maxx/Marshall’s/Home Goods/Nordstrom Rack stores for decades. It scratches the itch for me to hunt and I almost always come away with something kind of magical.

Many, many years ago, when I was younger and cuter, I posted a photo of myself in one of my TJ’s finds (a silk Equipment dress) and tagged the company on Facebook. They saw the photo, found my phone number, called me and offered to take me on a shopping spree at their flagship Manhattan location. That was how I became the first official #Maxxinista (a title that really just meant I appeared on their social channels, got an all-expense paid trip to New York, stayed at the Tribeca Grand, and got to go on a huge shopping spree and then do an all-day photo shoot in my finds). Experience of a lifetime, for sure, and it taught me a lot about how to navigate those stores.

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Not to sound all “back in my day,” but there was a time you would find legitimate treasure at those stores every time you walked in. I remember frequenting a Marshall’s store in high school and buying Moschino dresses, Jill Stuart jeans and Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses for like $15, all in one trip.

Here’s the thing: those outlet-type stores have evolved a lot over the years. Today, there are more Nordstrom Rack stores than actual Nordstrom locations, so not everything at the discounted stores even comes from the higher-end locations. In fact, most of these discount stores are ordering items specifically for their stores (it’s why you’ll see huge racks of clothing from brands like Max Studio and Free People at Nordstrom Rack—those were purchased wholesale, and aren’t discounted pieces from the main store).

That being said, there are still true gems to be found. In recent years, I’ve found everything from Balenciaga candles at TJ Maxx to Missoni towels at Home Goods and really high-end athleisure from brands like Stella McCartney for Adidas and P.E. Nation at Marshall’s. Here, I’ve rounded up all my tips for shopping those stores like a pro.

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