Just scoop up with a dust pan. Typical fireplace tool sets include a shovel-type tool and a broom. I don't think that anyone who uses a fireplace more than once a year cleans it out every time they have a fire.

I used a dust pan and brush, then put them in a plastic bag. I cleaned the ashes out a day or two after we used the fire place, but we didn't have to use it for heat. I have always worried a little about fires.

Small dust pan and fireplace broom or a brush work best. DO NOT use a vacuum. I made the mistake of trying our shopvac once as the broom didn't get it as clean as I wanted. Ashes went right through the filter system and flew all over the room. Quite the mess.

There are vacuums you can buy for ashes. Be careful using a dustpan.

I almost set my house on fire years ago after cleaning up what I thought were cold ashes the morning after we had a fire in the fireplace. I used a dustpan to transfer the ashes to a paper grocery bag. I placed the bag in the garage next to the lawn mower. It turns out there were embers in the bag, and the heat slightly melted the lawn mower tire. Luckily I smelled the burning rubber.

I don't like the smell left behind by a fireplace, so I'm the type that would not want to leave the ashes there after the occasional fire.

Here is a link that might be useful: vacuum for ashes

When we had a wood burning fireplace (mine is now gas), I used the above mentioned dustpan and brush on cold ashes. I did not clean it every time it was used, I had glass doors to close and didn't notice a stale smokey odor ever.

Do not use your vacuum cleaner. DH was going to surprise me by cleaning the fireplace while I was at work one day and vacuumed out the hearth. The weight of the ashes burst the vacuum bag and put a layer of burned wood dust on everything.

If you must, use a shop vac with a disposable filter bag in any corners or depressions only after you've removed as much manually as possible, like at about 98% clean. I made it a seasonal chore, not something done weekly, certainly not after each use.