Mise en place: A tip from the French on staying organized in the kitchen.

 Normally I don't cook using a recipe.  Maybe that is why it has taken me so long to learn how to bake, eyeballing the amount of baking soda in a recipe is not a good idea, FYI.  But I love the French phrase Mise en place which means "everything in place".  Before you start cooking, your ingredients are prepped, the kitchen is clean, and all necessary tools have been assembled.  I try to subscribe to this philosophy because I do believe it makes cooking all the more enjoyable.  One thing I have added in my kitchen to make this mantra a little more attainable is a tray next to my stove that I keep my most used nonperishable ingredients on.

What do you think about Mise en place?  Helpful tip? Or stress inducing?