10 Of The Strangest Items I Found At T.J. Maxx

Picture this: It’s Saturday afternoon, you’ve got an iced coffee in your hand, and you’re hanging out with a friend. Then, on a whim, she turns to you and asks, “Do you want to stop in T.J. Maxx real quick?” You shrug. “Sure, I don’t need anything, but I’ll go with you.” You tell yourself you’re just going to browse because you really don’t need anything and you have no room in your closet anyway. Yet one hour later, you’re leaving with a bag full of stuff. Sound familiar?

We’ve all been there. Everything at T.J. Maxx feels like such a good deal. An $8 pumpkin spice candle? A $12 alligator Halloween costume for a dog? $6 for a mug that says ‘Namaste in bed’? Maybe you don’t even have a dog, and sure, you don’t technically need any of these items, but how can you not buy them when they’re on sale? T.J. Maxx is the holy grail of catch-all shopping. I mean, where else can you buy a sundress, an oriental rug, and a flamingo pool floatie (besides Marshall’s, which is essentially the same store) all in the same place?

While a lot of the pieces in T.J. Maxx are cute, not all of their merchandise is a home run. Have you ever been walking the aisles of T.J. Maxx just “browsing” only to come across a truly bizarre item? You pick it up, show it to your friend, and you both laugh, asking, “Why would anyone ever buy this?” If you can relate then, boy, do I have some fun finds to show you…

1. Solo Cup Martini Glasses

I don’t know about you, but every time I drink a martini, I think, “This is great, but it would taste way better if I could drink it out of a red solo cup.”

2. Festive Shower Curtain Hooks

Look, I love getting into the Halloween spirit as much as the next fall-loving gal, but does my shower really need to get into the spooky season spirit too? Here’s an opinion that I didn’t realize was controversial: Jack-o-lanterns and skulls do not belong in showers. 

3. Cat Lady Luggage Tags

Yes, your luggage will stand out and be easier to find, but is this really something you want to brag about to every stranger at baggage claim? 

4. “Honor” Bracelet

$80 for a sterling silver bracelet that says “honor” for no discernible reason?! It’s a no from me, dawg. 

5. Camouflage Toiletry Case

I can understand the desire to wear a piece of camo clothing, but a camouflage toiletry case (much less three)? For women? That is something I cannot understand. 

6. “Ghoulish” Gnome

What do pumpkins, gnomes, and succulents have in common? Nothing, which is why this should not exist. Look, I’m all for festive fall knick-knacks, but we’ve gotta draw the line somewhere. 

7. Gucci iPhone Case

I get that T.J. Maxx is typically a great place to find designer pieces at bargain prices, but why would you want a Gucci iPhone case to begin with? And why would you want it to say “Blind for Love”? And on what planet is it worth $104 dollars?

8. Decorative Pencils

How am I supposed to sharpen this? Or write with this? And since when has décor for your desktop pencil holder been a thing anyway? I’m a fan of the Nightmare Before Christmas, but this seems exceedingly unnecessary.

9. Cat Portrait

Okay, I was laughing at this “portrait” while I was in the store, but now that I’m looking back at it, I’m kind of into this? Look how dapper that fancy feline is! And he has a monocle! Should I go back and buy this portrait? You see, this is the strange power that T.J. Maxx has over women. How does it make us want to buy things we don’t even like?

10. Metal…Décor?

I’m not going to lie, I’m not 100% sure what this is. Unsurprisingly, I found this in the clearance section, which tells me that no one else was able to figure it out either. Is it a knick-knack? A paperweight? A bookend? The world may never know. 

Closing Thoughts

All of the items I found on this trip were pretty strange, in my personal opinion. But do you know what the strangest thing about this entire experience was? I managed to walk out of T.J. Maxx without buying a single thing! Now that is truly spooky. 

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