8 Rules to Survive a J.Crew Warehouse Sale

BSBs *always* have awesome wardrobes, but the really savvy shoppers know just where to get their favorite brands for way less than retail value.

If you like a good adventure, dont mind doing a bit of digging, and have some friends who are down for the road trip, warehouse sales just might be your thing. Many are held right in our own back yards in Virginia and North Carolina!

Just last weekend, myself and some friends road tripped from the DC area to Lynchburg, Va for the J.Crew Warehouse Sale! In Lynchburg (and in Arden, NC), J.crew hosts huge sales every other month (sometimes every few) to clear out all of their overstock. This sale is MASSIVE and if you’re looking for deals, it is absolutely worth your time.

Depending on the sale, sometimes you can just walk in. This sale had a bit of a wait.

(picture of the line) #1

We stood in line for a little under an hour, but we had snacks, the weather was awesome and we had a great time chatting and catching up with each on life. By the time we got to the door we were super excited to get in and get our shopping underway.

This is how it works:

Once you walk in, an employee at the door hands you an industrial sized trash bag and a price list:

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The bag is for all of the goodies you find. Once you get the set up, you will see rows and table and tables of boxes full of clothing, shoes, and accessories for men, women, and children. They try to sort it, by pants/tops/dresses/coats/swimsuits, but a lot of things get mixed in the fray. Once you start digging, and find things you like, you start putting them into your bag.

Once your bag has gotten too big to drag, find a space with your friends in a corner and go through your merchandise! Try things on, inspect all clothes for minor damage, toss some things, trade others, go through your entire bag and prune. Once you’ve done this, make a second trip through the warehouse to find a few other things your might want. Once you’ve grown tired, call it quits. Take your goodies, go check out, and be on your way :).

June 2014 Haul Picture — 5 sweaters, 6 tops, 3 dresses, 1 skirt, 4 bathing suits , 1 pair of pants, 1 pair of shorts = $190 !!!!!

March 2015 Haul Picture — 2 pairs of pants, 4 bathing suits, 7 sweaters, 5 blouses, 1 dress = $220 !!!!

Here are some good tips for the experience.

1. Get a good night’s sleep the night before and get on the road early !

2. EAT LOTS OF FOOD BEFORE GOING! This is the epitome of physical activity. You’ll need to have a full stomach because you will exert lots of energy.

3. Go with friends. This is impossible to do alone. Please do not go alone. Your friends will ensure you do not buy things that do not look good or are damaged.

4. Tell your friends what you’re looking for and your sizes, they can pull things for you that you might miss!

5. Wear leggings and a tshirt or tank-top and good walking shoes. There are no fitting rooms so you’ll have to try on stuff over your clothes. You will also be on your feet for long periods of time, so wearing comfy shoes is quite important.

6. Inspect every garment! Some might have minor deficiencies, so make sure you look at everything and see if the small mark or minor hole/tear is worth you purchasing the garment.

7. When you’re tired. Call it quits. You’ve gotten what you need to get, dont spend any more energy on it. 🙂

8. Reward yourself afterwards with a hardy meal and an evening full of rest.

Shopping at the #jcrew Warehouse sale will ensure all BSBs have fabulous wardrobes without breaking the bank! Good luck and most importantly, have fun!!

(picture of us being exhausted/all of our goodies)