We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lastree Lemene-Haig. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lastree below.
Hi Lastree, really appreciate you joining us to talk about a really relevant, albeit unfortunate topic – layoffs and getting fired. Can you talk to us about your experience and how you overcame being let go?
Well, long story short, it was a blessing in disguise. But basically I got laid off, I didn’t panic the way I might’ve in the past because deep down, I knew God had been leading me to that moment. I had already started Ready Set Declutter as a side hustle and it was going well. Also for months, I’d felt this quiet nudge that it was time to go all in. But I still clung to the “security” of my 9–5… even though it was nonprofit life so the paycheck wasn’t exactly keeping me rich.
What helped shift everything was something my mindset coach told me earlier that year. She said to see my job as just an investor in my dream. That completely reframed how I saw work. It helped me stop tying my identity to a job title and start seeing the bigger picture. So when the layoff came, it didn’t feel like failure. It felt like release and like confirmation. But if I’m being honest, the hardest part wasn’t losing the job…it was leaving the students I had served for almost three years. That part was hard. It felt more like being fired than laid off. It was abrupt and cold, and I carried that grief for a while. That season prepared me for the work I do now in ways I couldn’t see at the time. And when I finally gave Ready Set Declutter my full yes, everything changed. It was still scary, but it felt aligned.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I’m the founder of Ready Set Declutter, a home organizing business built on the belief that peace of mind starts at home. I work with women with ADHD, anxiety, or who are just too overwhelmed to declutter their spaces. Together we create systems that feel calm, functional, and doable. My goal is to help you walk into a room and finally be able to exhale.
What makes my work special is how deeply personal it is. I’ve battled anxiety and depression. I live with ADHD. I know firsthand how hard it is to “just get started” or to stay motivated when everything feels like too much. So when I show up in someone’s home, I’m meeting them where they are with a lot of understanding and a lot grace.
Right now, I’m excited that in additional to being able to work with local clients in person, I’m expanding my support to help others who have asked with some other offerings. I’m revamping my virtual organizing services and I recently launched a custom decluttering plan that gives clients a personalized roadmap to tackle their clutter on their own. I also have a digital guide series called Daily Dose of Decluttering which are bite-sized decluttering tasks designed to build momentum without the overwhelm.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Whew! Looking back, the three qualities that had the biggest impact on my journey were being resourceful, staying humble enough to ask for help, and having just enough ADHD delusion to believe I could figure things out as I went.
Being resourceful meant making the most of what I had. I wasn’t working with a huge budget, a team or any of that. I was piecing things together, learning as I went, and finding creative solutions when I didn’t have all the tools. That kind of flexibility built resilience.
Humility was key too. I had to get comfortable saying, “I don’t know how to do this… can you help me?” Some of my biggest breakthroughs came from conversations with people who were just a few steps ahead of me.
And yes, that ADHD delusion can absolutely play a role. That impulsive, “I can totally do this!” energy kicked in before fear could stop me. And honestly? I’m grateful for it. It’s what got me started in the first place.
On top of all that, mindset work changed everything. I had to stop waiting until I “felt ready” and start moving even when I felt unsure. I had to believe I was worthy of building something meaningful even if I couldn’t fully see the vision yet. If you’re early in your journey, get around people who speak life into you. Get a mindset coach or a mentor if you can. And don’t underestimate the power of prayer to help you get out of your own head.
And lastly give yourself grace. Building anything takes time, mistakes, and a whole lot of trial and error. You don’t have to have it all figured out to take the next step. You just have to say yes scared… and then keep going.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
My ideal client is someone who feels overwhelmed and who’s been staring at their space thinking, “I don’t even know where to start.”
She’s probably been carrying the weight of her home, her family, her job, and her mental load for too long. She might have ADHD or anxiety, or she’s just in a season where life feels heavier than usual. What makes her ideal isn’t her space to be honest, it’s her heart. She’s ready for change. She might be nervous or even embarrassed to let someone in, but she’s also craving peace and open to support and ready to invest in herself.
The best clients are the ones who are honest, curious, and willing to trust the process even if they’re unsure what that process looks like at first. They don’t need to have it all figured out. They just need to be open to a new way of seeing their stuff, their space, and maybe even themselves.
If you’re overwhelmed but ready, even if you’re not sure how it’ll all come together, that’s enough. That’s where we start.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.readysetdeclutter.org
- Instagram: https://Www.instagram.com/readysetdeclutter_
- Facebook: https://Www.facebook.com/readysetdeclutter
Image Credits
Marando Studios
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
