before.rb

def state
  if not collected?
    'booked'
  elsif not ironed?
    'collected'
  elsif not delivered?
    'ironed'
  else
    'delivered'
  end
end

# ironed?    might raise an exception if collected? is false
# delivered? might raise an exception if ironed?    is false

now.rb

STATES = ['booked', 'collected', 'ironed', 'delivered']
def state
  STATES[[collected?, ironed?, delivered?].take_while(&:itself).size]
end