Rule 3 of 27 · Chapter I — Before You Cook
Start with a clean, clear counter
Why this rule exists
You cannot think clearly in a cluttered space, and you certainly cannot cook cleanly in one. A counter buried in yesterday's mail, drying dishes, and three appliances you are not using shrinks your working area to a postage stamp, and a cramped cook is a clumsy cook: things get knocked, raw and cooked food end up too close, and there is nowhere to set the hot pan down. Starting clean is not about tidiness for its own sake; it is about giving the work room to happen. An open, wiped counter is a quiet invitation to cook, and it makes the cleaning-as-you-go that comes later actually possible, because there is somewhere to put things away to.
In practice
Before you prep, clear everything off the counter that this meal does not need, and wipe it down. Empty the sink and the dish rack so you have somewhere to put dirty things as they accumulate. Set out your cutting board, knife, a bowl for scraps, and a folded towel. Keep the trash or a scrap bowl within a step so peelings do not migrate across the counter. Position yourself so the fridge, the sink, and the stove are each an easy turn away. The goal is a small, calm stage where every tool has a home and nothing is fighting for space.
When it doesn't apply
A genuinely tiny kitchen forces compromises, and there the answer is ruthless prep-and-clear in waves rather than one big clearing. And mid-project chaos is fine as long as you reset between stages. The rule is about starting from order, not maintaining a spotless counter every second.