The Super-Smart Cleaning Technique We Stole from French Chefs
You may have heard of “mise en place” when it comes to cooking — it’s the French culinary concept that advocates having all your ingredients and tools in place before you start working — but have you ever heard of mise en place cleaning?
Well, we’re here to tell you that despite it sounding quirky, it’s every bit as beneficial as the cooking style.
Just as a professional chef would in the kitchen, treating your home in the mise en place way requires gathering all of your materials ahead of time (think: sprays, dusters, rags, sponges, etc.) and knocking out all of your pre-cleaning prep in one fell swoop. This technique ensure a more thorough, focused cleanup session, because you have to think it all through ahead, and it consolidates an often-overwhelming process.
Still not convinced? Read on for five more reasons you should replace your boring old wipe-down sessions with something en Français.
1. It takes time to save time.
Turns out that preparing the bulk of your cleaning work upfront actually saves you lots of time in the long run. By taking a moment before you start cleaning to put all of your necessary materials in place, you won’t have to worry about wasting time and energy looking for things later on.
2. You’ll be more organized and efficient.
With everything laid out in front of you — including your plan of attack — the daunting process of cleaning suddenly becomes surprisingly streamlined. Better yet, group all of your materials and set them out in the order you’ll need them, and move from room to room with ease.
3. You’re far less likely to miss a spot.
Not only does a focused cleaning plan keep your endeavors organized, but it also keeps you from getting distracted and missing any crucial cleanups along the way.
4. You’ll know before you begin if you’re missing an “ingredient.”
Nothing throws you off your cleaning game like running out of antibacterial spray or microfiber cloths in the middle of a major wipe-down. Spare yourself from scrambling to find replacements by assembling all of your materials ahead of time and you’ll never have to sully a good towel again.
5. It makes cleaning a little more fun.
When you stop trying to clean at random and start approaching tasks more systematically, the art of cleaning can actually be quite enjoyable. Instead of juggling several cleaning projects at once, gather up all your goods in one spot, put on some music, and tackle one thing at a time You’ll be cleaning house like a pro in no time, and look très chic while doing so.
This post originally ran on Apartment Therapy. See it there: The Super Smart Cleaning Technique We’ve Stolen from French Chefs
Will you try the mise en place method the next time you clean?