Lara Duffy and Patty MacKinney started out in the same business, but took their own paths to help clients create their personal havens.
By Patricia McDaniel
An appreciation of beauty and order was a meeting point for two area women who built a business together – and then found separate talents for creating shipshape homes for clients.
Patty MacKinney of Third & Lennox in Fair Haven and Lara Duffy, now owner of a local franchise of The Neat Method, began Third & Lennox in 2017, Duffy recalls. The name came from their street addresses in Rumson.
MacKinney said her River Road business focuses on specialty cleaning – particularly home detailing. Plus, it includes a thriving florist shop, Third & Lennox Flowers.
When it comes to clients’ homes, MacKinney explains on her website that her business is a “cleaning and home detailing service taking practical perfection to the next level.”
Duffy, who preferred the home organizing aspect of the business, went on to form her own company in 2023 – Lennox & Co. Organizing. And in October 2024, she became owner of one of only four franchises currently in New Jersey – The Neat Method (Monmouth). The Neat Method, which is home-based, is the largest professional organizing company in North America, she said.
Both women had other careers before turning their interests to their own businesses, thanks to impressive entrepreneurial skills.
MacKinney worked on Wall Street and thrived in the fast-paced atmosphere, she said. Duffy, a Miami native, was an advanced practice nurse in New York City and New Jersey after graduating from Villanova University and graduate school at New York University. Her work and marriage to a fellow Villanova grad – and her children – brought her to New Jersey.
“But the desire to create a business doing something I love and helping people at the same time led me to this entrepreneurial role that I love so much,” she said of her change in career direction.
Photo by Emily Billington
The linguistic root of the word “neat” comes to us from the Latin (nitidus) and then the French and English (net), and it means “shining” or in other forms to shine. And if you’re having a Scotch after your own cleaning session, “neat” means it’s undiluted – a tidy drink. Creating a shining and efficient home environment underlies each woman’s work.
The Neat Method
During a recent interview, Duffy explained The Neat Method concept. The company started in 2010 with two owners, who happened to meet although they lived in two different U.S. cities and found a shared interest in making order out of chaos. Sensing a “universal need,” it developed into a franchised organizing service that can give clients “a seamless experience.”
For example, clients may have multiple homes or travel frequently, Duffy said. Using The Neat Method, they can employ the same company for their different geographic locations, she said.
Families busy with one – or more – properties can still keep chaos at bay, Duffy said. Ultimately, they are able to “live a better life by being well organized.”
“At Neat, we believe in curating spaces that enhance (a client’s) daily life. We understand that every home is different, which is why we take a personalized approach. We call it the ‘Neat Life,’ ” Duffy said.
She noted that the company’s product line is curated to be high quality and works with its organizing concepts. The products help maintain a unified look, she added, and are a “bit of an investment” but worth it. On its website, you can find acacia drawer dividers, for example, lidded canisters that are made of a see-through polymer and sets of hangers in a variety of sizes for clothing from infants to adults.
Neat specializes in transforming homes with streamlined, efficient systems, she continued.
“Our ultimate goal is to introduce more time and ease into day-to-day life. With that in mind, Neat clients can expect a considered approach to understanding their needs and lifestyle, as well as systems that are designed to be easily maintained,” she said.
For those who might like to explore its organizing philosophy further, the company released a book in January – “The Neat Method Organizing Recipe Book.” It offers “70 simple projects to take your home from chaos to composed,” according to the book cover, with tips for organizing things from LEGOs to sweaters.
But living a better life is what The Neat Method is all about, Duffy said.
“Our expert team understands the challenges you face and is here to help you reclaim your time and space, allowing you to focus on what truly matters,” Duffy said.
Third & Lennox
Patty MacKinney also had experience in business before founding her company with Duffy, Third & Lennox, in 2017. The Wall Street “experience instilled in me a desire to continue working once my children were in school full-time,” MacKinney, of Rumson, said.
Once she moved to the suburbs, “I noticed that homes were significantly larger than city apartments and required more care and maintenance. This realization sparked an idea: just as we detail our cars, why not offer specialized detailing services for homes? I decided to turn this concept into a reality.”
Her eye for what worked in clients’ homes eventually led to outdoor spaces.
“One particular client requested that I arrange her planters before their move-in. While my crew was busy deep cleaning every inch of the home, I personally took care of the planters, bringing potting soil, spring plants, beautiful branches and moss. This led to inquiries about flowers, prompting us to start creating floral arrangements out of my garage. When the operation outgrew the garage, we rented a space next to the Tea Room on River Road in Fair Haven. This expansion marked the birth of Third & Lennox Flowers,” she said.
The florist business is a busy one, she added – and employs local residents: “Our team is made up of local mothers who manage the shop during the day and local high school students who cover the late afternoon shifts,” she said.
And for potential home detailing clients who might wonder if a professional is right for them, MacKinney assures them that her company has worked with all types of living spaces.
“We have had the privilege of working in a diverse range of spaces, from grand mansions to cozy apartments, Airbnbs, fitness studios, commercial buildings, offices, attic and basement storage spaces, outdoor settings – and even yachts,” she said.
“Our approachable and accessible nature allows us to tailor our services to meet the unique needs of each client.” Pricing varies based on the personalized plan.
As with The Neat Method, the customer’s emotional response to finally achieving a peaceful space underlies the hard work by Third & Lennox.
“Quality, consistency and customer happiness are paramount,” MacKinney said.
Third & Lennox,
740 River Road,
Fair Haven,
732-243-3022,
thirdandlennox.com
The article originally appeared in the March 13 – 19, 2025 print edition of The Two River Times.
