Most of the time my kitchen looks fine to me. My sink is empty, my counters are wiped. Then it happens. Someone asks me to sell them food. I try to keep from accepting paid wedding cake requests because flawless delivery is full of tiny nightmares, and my friends and relatives don't understand why I won't give discounts on sculpture cakes or wedding cakes. They balk when the proposal quotes $10/per chocolate rose, for example. They ask why am I going to have to charge $150 for the custom, edible cake topper. Why I'm agreeing to free delivery (a psychological trick I play on myself so I get it right) but charge $50 to show up and cut wedding cake.
I don't think about any of these kinds of details when someone reminds me it's so-and-so's birthday and asks if I'll bring cake to the surprise party. I look at my schedule, and my clean kitchen, and get it done. I do not charge for a simple special occasion cake for someone in my clique. The second my money is on the table, it is a whole different thing. I empty my kitchen, which suddenly is full of health code violations, gluten contamination if I promised gluten free, and flith. I scour every surface and utensil. Not a trace of dust or grain can remain. Not a single pet hair in the room. My animals are banned from the area until the product is out of the house. I clean the seals of my refrigerator, even if I just did them (I do it every three months anyway, right when I change my tooth brush). I disassemble my light fixtures and scour the parts as well. I vacuum my air filters. I put out peanut butter scented glue traps and hang fly strips, just in case. I position powerful fans in front of my exterior doors, also just in case. I turn my perfectly good residential kitchen into something that would pass muster for a commercial inspection (minus having the wrong kind of vents and no cages on my lights). I eye my space, tools, and craft like a pro, because I've been paid to do so. But if you're just coming over for coffee and I'm laying out a cookie platter? Because I love you, or kinda like you? I'm not going to do all of that. I'm going to empty my sink, mop my floor, wipe my counters, and get some cookies onto a plate. Wanna know what "made with love" tastes like? Health code violations, just like your Grandma used to make.
There is a difference between a professional approach, and an intimate one.