We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lastree Lemene a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Lastree, appreciate you joining us today. So, let’s imagine that you were advising someone who wanted to start something similar to you and they asked you what you would do differently in the startup-process knowing what you know now. How would you respond?
If I were to start over today, knowing what I know now, I would absolutely invest in a mindset coach and a systems strategist right from the beginning. While I preach the importance of systems in the home, I didn’t have all the right systems in place for my business early on. I know this is normal because many entrepreneurs start this way. However, I realize that if I’d had those resources, like someone to help with my confidence and another to structure the backend operations, I’d for sure be further along. It’s all about having a solid foundation, and those investments could have sped up my journey tremendously.
Lastree, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Well, I’m Lastree (or Las) and my mission is to create organized and functional spaces, especially for those navigating ADHD and mental health challenges. Having experienced anxiety and depression, I know firsthand how a chaotic environment can make things worse. Over time, I discovered the powerful connection between clutter and mental well-being. As I decluttered and organized my surroundings, I found peace, clarity, and joy. Now, my goal is to help others achieve that same sense of peace and freedom in their homes.
Ready Set Declutter offers organizing services that go beyond just tidying up. We help clients create long term systems that work for their unique needs. We work with clients who feel overwhelmed in their home, whether it’s with daily disorganization or a lack of a functional system in their home. We make decluttering easy, less stressful, and sometimes even fun, all while guiding clients with compassion, humor, and a little bit of tough love when needed.
What makes Ready Set Declutter unique is our understanding of ADHD and mental health, and how that translates into our approach to organizing. We don’t just give you a one-size-fits-all system. We really try to design it to work for your brain and your lifestyle, so you can maintain it long after we leave.
I’m most proud of the moments when my clients tell me they feel as though a burden has been lifted off their shoulders, or when they finally feel a sense of calm in their home for the first time in years. It’s truly rewarding to see how much a decluttered space can positively impact someone’s mental health and overall happiness.
What I want people to know about my brand is that it’s not about perfection or having a tidy space 24/7. It’s about finding what works for you. Ready Set Declutter is here to make the process easier and even enjoyable. We’re not just organizing your space; we’re enhancing your life.
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
Glad you asked! My side hustle recently transitioned into a full-time business.
Ready Set Declutter began in 2020 while still working full-time in the non-profit sector, taking on small organizing projects for friends and family during weekends. By January 2021, it became official, with referrals and word-of-mouth clients starting to come in, along with some from social media. It quickly became clear that there was real demand for these services, and the more clients I worked with, the more evident the positive impact a decluttered space had on their lives. That gave the confidence to take it more seriously, but there was still some hesitation about going full-time. In 2021, a job switch, due to health circumstances, provided a more flexible schedule and opened up additional availability outside of weekends so I continued balancing both.
A key milestone happened just two months ago. I made the decision to go all in and turn Ready Set Declutter into a full-time career after my position at work was eliminated. It was a scary leap, but it felt like the right moment, and I knew God had a hand in it all. With a solid client base already established, systems in place, and the readiness to scale up, the timing aligned perfectly. Since then, things have stayed busy, with opportunities like attending the recent Orlando Mom Collective Women’s Wellness event as a vendor, allowing for direct connections with potential clients. I am grateful to do this work.
The business is now expanding with new maintenance packages, and there’s even exploration into creating ongoing support offers. It’s been an exciting journey, and I am proud seeing how far things have come. While there have been challenges, each step has brought this vision closer to serving the people it was always meant for. I can’t wait to see what unfolds next.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
One key lesson that had to be unlearned was the idea that success needed to happen fast to be meaningful. Early on, there was pressure to grow quickly, thinking that if growth wasn’t rapid, success wasn’t being achieved. It was easy to compare with other professional organizers who seemed to have everything figured out, which led to feeling behind.
Over time, it became clear that slow, steady growth was actually the best approach for the business. Building meaningful relationships with clients, creating sustainable systems, and refining services all took time and that’s perfectly okay. Every client interaction, event, and small win has been part of solidifying a strong foundation.
The belief that success has a timeline was something that I needed to be unlearn. It doesn’t, and it looks different for everyone. Trusting the process and recognizing that meaningful growth is often slow and intentional has been key. Embracing this has made it easier to enjoy the journey and appreciate each milestone, no matter how small it may seem.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.readysetdeclutter.org
- Instagram: https://Instagram.com/readysetdeclutter_
- Facebook: https://Facebook.com/readysetdeclutter
Image Credits
Margie Dotson: Marando Studios