Yes, we’re still in February, but it’s time to start looking ahead to spring cleaning. And while getting your home aired out and scrubbed is satisfying, it’s also useful to think about clearing out some of the bad habits you might have picked up over the long winter! Here are a few tips to get you started:

• While building a habit is good, doing the same thing over and over again eventually feels rote. So clear out your prayer life with something new. There are a number of beautiful prayer books (Queen of Apostles Prayer Book, Sacred Heart Prayer Book, Holy Spirit Prayer Book) that will give you fresh words and ideas to enhance your prayer time.
• Notice how “stuff” gets accumulated over the winter? We’re just not as careful about cleaning then. This is a good time to clear out your interior life by going to confession. It clears the decks of all the times you’ve tripped and fallen, and you’ll be all set for the springtime of your soul!
• What can you get rid of? Are there things that you’re clinging to that are standing between you and God? Maybe it’s resenting someone else, or wishing that you had as much as someone else, or holding onto a perceived insult. Let them all go!

Spring cleaning for your soul can be just as liberating as spring cleaning for your home, and it’s a good Lenten practice to lead you closer to the glory of the Resurrection that’s only a few weeks away!