About twice a year, I like to - or should I say, force myself to - set aside an entire day to purge my closet. It's tedious, exhausting and tiresome. Truth be told, I've been doing it the wrong way all along . . . but then again, for many reasons, it's a reality I've been turning a blind eye to for years. After recently meeting organizational guru Shira Gill through a mutual friend, I invited her over to take a gander at my closet. Little did I know that a few days later, she'd transform, not just my closet, but me.

"You're having someone come and organize your closet?!" scoffed my husband, the obsessive compulsive member of our family. "Really? Do you even know me?" I snapped, frustrated that, after all these years, he still hasn't come to terms with our organizational differences. He must, as this is why, when we remodeled our house, we both so adamantly insisted on separate closets. My closet is the only "room" in the house that Abe doesn't set foot into. I'm too embarrassed to post a photo of the state of my closet but you can click here to see why. Don't judge. I am well aware that I own far too many clothes, bags, shoes . . . things. BUT this is part of my job. And how can I get rid of the pieces that have only been worn once, or even more so, some with their tags still on? What if I want to pass some pieces down to my daughter someday? What about the sentimental value? I'm pretty sure I'll fit into those jeans, circa 2010, again. These are the justifications that run through my head during those obligatory, biannual purges and also, the questions I knew I about to confront during my date with Shira.

First, I must say, I was relieved to see that Shira didn't run the opposite direction upon seeing my closet in its natural state. Perhaps she's seen worse. Regardless, there was absolutely no judgement on her part and that in itself, made me less skeptical and terrified of the process. Secondly, I was immediately surprised at how smoothly the process went - Shira just jumped right in, pulled out every dress and placed them on a clothing rack in my bedroom. Her theory is to take everything out, category by category, when you edit as it helps you see things with fresh eyes. That step alone made the world of difference. Editing dresses was far less distracting and more manageable than taking on the entire closet at once.

Next, the EDIT. Again, another surprise. It wasn't nearly as terrifying as I thought it would be - in fact, those questions that I thought I'd be plagued with? They never really crossed my mind. I think part of it had to do with the fact that Shira was there to hold me accountable. Also, after tossing the first few pieces in the "sell" and "giveaway" pile, I immediately felt empowered. Purging with intention felt so much better than purging in haste. The feeling was so liberating, I found myself really getting into it and thinning out more pieces than I ever anticipated. I didn't feel resistance or regret, except when it came to the pieces that never got much wear . . .