How to Prepare for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale & Checklist

The Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is like the Olympics of shopping- you need to be prepared and have a game plan! I wanted to give you insight into exactly what you need to do to prepare and share a handy checklist to help you shop. I won’t be going through the basics here of what the sale is, etc., – check out my How to Shop the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale Post for that! 😊

Additionally, if you want to stay on top of all of my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale content (including an exclusive sneak peek at sale items that aren’t in the catalog!) I’ve created a header (see below) that I will leave up on my site for the duration of the sale. Just click on it from my homepage and you’ll get alllll the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale content!

How to Prepare for the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale

1. Mark Your Calendar:

First; the obvious! If you have the Nordstrom Credit Card you will be entitled to early access which starts on August 4th. If you don’t have the card, general access starts August 19th. In years past Nordstrom would restock items as they sold out, but last year (much to the annoyance of many) they didn’t. So, I’m serious when I say mark your calendars! If you really want to save money on brand new fall items, plan on shopping the sale as soon as you can. I’ll be setting my alarm for midnight and staying up to shop!

2. Become a Nordstrom Rewards Member:

Unlike the Credit Card, the rewards card is free, and definitely worth it if you plan on buying two or more items during the sale. You get rewards points which turn into Nordstrom notes – ie. cash you can spend at Nordstrom later.

3. Stay in the Loop:

Subscribe to my blog if you haven’t already! In my weekly newsletters during the sale I’ll be keeping you informed about all things Nordstrom sale. If you want more immediate info (my newsletter only goes out once a week on so that I don’t spam you!) follow me in the free LiketoKnow.it app.  I’ll be sharing dozens of collages of NSale items over the next few weeks (faux leather jackets in the sale, Tory Burch items in the sale, beauty favorites in the sale – just to name a few!) I’ll also be sharing fitting room photos so you can see how things actually look and read about the fit.

If there are other bloggers whose style you particularly like, be sure to keep an eye on their platforms as well. *Sidenote: Read to the bottom of this post for my thoughts on affiliate sales and why I have no problem telling you to follow other blogs. I’m not here doing all of this just to try to make money off you!

4. Set a Budget:

With so many great pieces and with that urgency of ‘prices will go back up!’ it can be easy to get carried away and overspend. Be honest with yourself about your finances and set a maximum spend for the sale. You’ll feel so much happier with your new items if you don’t have the ‘I-should-not-have-bought-this’ guilt attached.

5. Clean Out Your Closet / Do a Closet Inventory:

Since you’re going to be adding new pieces to your closet, now is the perfect time to clean it out and donate or sell pieces you no longer wear. I am huge fan of donating to both Value Village and local non-profit thrift stores. There is a great one in my area whose proceeds go towards housing women escaping domestic violence. Check your area for thrift stores that gift back and get your donating on!

Secondly, do an inventory of your closet. Do you have 5 pair of ripped jeans you just can’t part with? Cool, but you probably don’t need to buy any more during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. Look for items your closet is missing – are you someone with a zillion skirts but no tops? Do you have a ton of closed toe heels but no fun strappy heels? Use this to help decide what you want to keep your eye out for in the sale.

Which leads me to my last point- a checklist! I wanted to give you a practical checklist that will work for many of you in terms of what to snag at the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. These are the items that are always great in the sale (good brands at great prices) and items to help you stock up your wardrobe for fall. Right click to save the image to your desktop!

Rant / Info on Affiliate Sales and Bloggers “Pushing” This Sale:

Last thing. When you purchase through links shared by bloggers we make a commission. It doesn’t cost you anything, the money comes from the brand using different affiliate programs like RewardStyle (what I use). That said, there is nothing about the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale that is any different in terms of us earning commission than any other link we share. Ie. I’m not sharing coverage of this sale in an attempt to simply be making money. Any of my usual links would do that.  I do so much coverage of this sale because I genuinely love it. It’s such a unique concept (sale before regular price) and I love a ton of the brands.

Also – the way it works with our commissions is that we earn if ours is the last link you clicked. Ie. if you click a pair of jeans from my blog but then before making a purchase click a top from another blogger and then order, that blogger will “get the sale”. I say this because I want you to know I encourage you to shop via other bloggers as well. The way I see it, if I share something you like and decide to buy, I should get credit for that. But if you see a dress on another blog, that blogger is the one who brought your attention to that item, so she should be rewarded with the sale.

I so appreciate each and every one of you that read LegalLee Blonde, and/or that make purchases using my links. If you do decide to buy something after seeing it on me or my site; it would mean the world to me if you click through one of my links to make the purchase. The commissions I earn are part of what allow me to continue doing this work as a blogger. I love what I do, but it has become more than just a hobby (time commitment wise) and I wouldn’t be able to do it without earning an income from it.

As always, hit me up in the comments or on social media with any questions or concerns!