tj maxx is my new boyfriend. lover. whichever.

I’m a huge TJ Maxx fan. I didn’t need to be asked twice to head to Boston to learn about discount shopping, I’m kind of a pro at that stuff. TJ Maxx is my heaven, my mecca, my safe place.

I had the chance to attend a blogger event to learn more about TJ’s right after BlogHer {we’re besties so I feel comfortable calling it that} and I love the store so much, I didn’t even mind getting back on a plane a mere 24 hours after stumbling off one from Chicago.

Let me just start by saying, Boston are you calling? I’ll drop anything, anytime to go to Boston again. Boston is my new favorite city. This photo is of the Fairmont Copley Plaza, the gorgeous hotel where I stayed.

It occurred to me as I was getting ready for dinner that night, this was the first time I’ve ever had my own hotel room. If you’ve never stayed in a hotel without a husband, friends, kids, do it. It’s pretty liberating. I didn’t even have to worry about which side of the bed I was going to sleep on. I slept smack dab in the middle, just in case you were curious.

This was waiting for me when I checked in.

This is what was inside. Cute right? A back-to-school event with a composition notebook and Boston Baked Beans? Get it? It’s always the small details that get me.

{This photo was pirated from Jo-Lynne, an awesome blogger}

Dinner was awesome, mostly because me and Alli Worthington giggled for two hours straight while trading Spanx secrets. Hers? It’s a secret, I’ll never tell. Mine? I get mine at Avon or Target. Never leave the house without a little protection.

The next morning I was shuttled off to T.J. Maxx corporate. May I just say for a discount shopping uh, fanatic like myself, going to TJ’s headquarters was a bit like the Star Ship landing. Did I get my Star Trek reference right?

It was pretty cool inside. And by pretty cool I mean, awesome.

I learned a lot of really cool stuff I suspected, but didn’t know for sure about TJ Maxx/Marshalls. For example: the same stuff you see in Nordstrom? TJ’s buys the extras and sells them at the same time for a much much better price. So while some chump is paying full price for that hot purse across town, you are buying that hot purse and a couple pair of foxy shoes with the money leftover. You do the math.

Some adorable little models displayed the concept for the visual learners like myself. Same outfit, two very different prices. $50 difference, minimum.

All these cute clothes for your kids? They’re purchased ahead of time. No scrappy leftovers for TJ Maxx, you get what’s hot right now for way less money. Seriously, I’m not making this stuff up.

Since they figured we needed a practical lesson of how TJ Maxx works in the field, we went shopping.

I go into predator mode when I’m in a store with good deals: elbows out and no eye contact no matter how *friendly* your fellow shoppers may seem. You have to be on your game at all times; you never know when someone might snatch your find out from under you.

This tunic was among my favorite finds. I’m going to be really brave and wear it with leggings. And ballet flats. Just when I was debating whether or not I really wanted it I swiveled around in the dressing room to see this on the door:

How did you know TJ’s, how did you know? I did want it, I did!

TJ Maxx is one of my favorite stores, period. More than once I’ve seen something I want at a *department store* only to head across town and find the exact same thing for a fraction of the cost at TJ’s.

TJ Maxx is nothing if not philanthropic. For every one of these awesome bags customers purchased, the store donated $1 to Save the Children. It’s enough to warm the cockles of my heart.

The bonus of the whole trip was hanging out with some amazing women. Alli made me giggle for a full 24 hours; I felt like a giggly schoolgirl at the back of the bus. I was that giggly girl at the back of the bus.

I also had an amazing time milling around Boston in the middle of the night with these ladies, all of whom I adore and can’t wait to see again.

Bottom line: TJ Maxx needs to become your boyfriend or lover {if it isn’t already}.

Allison

Hello there! I'm Allison Czarnecki, founder + editor of Petit Elefant, a blog all about style on a budget for every part of your life: style / home / travel / family. I do a lot of how-to beauty + style tutorials, travel posts, easy recipes, home remodel projects, and cool DIY crafts you totally want to try. I'm super happily married (to a hot Polish immigrant) and am the mother of two kids, a daughter and son, all of whom are featured here on the regular. We live in the country but we're a little bit rock + roll. Welcome!