Lets Deklutter: Rehome, Reduce, Rejoice

India, borrowing from the popular American concept of garage sales, has escalated it to a trending and successful level with WhatsApp as its online marketing platform. Kiran Gupta, a pioneer of this venture, is the founder of the Gurugram based Lets Deklutter (with a phonetic k).

Spread over 100 cities, Let’s Deklutter comprises 172 groups and more than 40 volunteers to guide sellers and buyers on reasonable pricing, manning transactions, and helping to promote deals for its 25,000+ members — a number that’s literally growing by the minute!

Kiran introduces herself as “a part of Indian society, which is regarded as the ‘custodian of personal values’, where money plays an integral part — aka the Middle Class. This upbringing perhaps formed the befitting foundation for my enterprise of teaching people the value of recycling and reusing.”

The seed of Lets Deklutter was sown by Kiran in 2018 while living in Chennai. “Numerous NGOs were collecting and distributing household items to lower income families. It made me realise how many items in our homes were not being used, and perhaps would be beneficial in other homes. Even selling these at a reasonable price would be beneficial to both buyer and seller,” she recollects.  

Next came Mumbai where Kiran graduated to “decluttering outgrown clothes, books and toys, gifts never used, redundant decorative pieces and more. This when all still had ‘life’ in them.” 

It was in 2020, while re-settling back in Gurugram, that Kiran conceptualised Lets Deklutter on WhatsApp. In spite of initial apprehension from family and friends, she took the plunge.

“It meant explanations and clarifications before the actual initiation. My experimental journey started with 40 Gurugram residents. I was constantly answering queries and encouraging members if sales were slow. Motivation and guidance about this new concept led to attracting more online buyers and sellers, and the membership snowballed,” she reveals.

Kiran’s entrepreneurial skills have since allowed Lets Deklutter to go beyond sales and purchase of used goods by private individuals. “During these past four years we have opened people’s minds that ‘second hand’ is no longer a social stigma. It is a win-win situation. The seller makes money and clears space at home, while the buyer gets a quality item for a reasonable cost.”

Recognition came for Lets Deklutter’s exceptional contribution and unstinted perseverance towards rehoming strangers’ items, at the Sustainability Innovator Award (SIA) 2023.

Kiran sums up, “Our members faith in us and the dedication of our volunteers has resulted in increased membership.” One of the best compliments came from buyer Shubha in Gurugram, “Lets Deklutter has been a life saviour for me. I redid the small cottage on my farm, built a showroom-cum-Granary, and furnished a two bedroom resort. I had so much fun buying everything, and I mean everything, online. It’s an awesome initiative.”

Meet volunteer Kavita Bhatia, a graduate from Delhi College of Art who still continues her fulltime profession of 40 years. Her forte includes interior and furniture design, space planning, construction of residences in prestigious condominiums like DLF’s Aralias and Camellias in Gurugram, and homes in New Delhi.The commercial artist has also illustrated and authored children’s books. Kavita prefers “the joy on my clients face upon completion of my work” rather than accolades from different sources. Amidst both the grit and glamour of her work, she is deeply spiritual, and private. 

As gratis Admin with Lets Deklutter since 2021, Kavita joined because, “being aesthetically inclined, declutter, both external and internal, are innate to my nature. I reuse and recycle items, wanting less and avoiding ostentatious living and wastage.”

Kavita dedicates her early mornings, lunch and tea breaks and after work hours to ensuring a troublefree experience — from motivating members to declutter, explaining rules, guiding and handholding senior citizens and those less technically savvy. Those relocating need help to dispose items faster and sometimes issues between buyers and sellers need moderating. “It’s gratifying to see substantial growth in membership and upgrading of preowned quality items being sold and purchased as no longer taboo.”

Seller Reena Singh joined Lets Deklutter in 2021. “It is such a useful concept, which is socially and environmentally responsible. Pricing is often a challenge. I cross check cost price of similar items on Amazon, or the market rates, and mark it down to less than half to ensure it gets picked up. But another challenge before that is being sure you want to let go of the item! And then making the deal as sweet as possible. This association is another way to help and connect with people and make new friends,” she happily signs off.

Satna and Bhopal-based avid buyer, Vikram Singh faced a dilemma in 2015 — whether to purchase a new or secondhand car. Opting for the latter, his satisfaction has made functionality and economy his rule of thumb guide.

“Next, it was time to furnish my 2400 sq. ft. duplex home in Bhopal. I started patiently browsing through Lets Deklutter. The end result was that each piece within this empty walled shell was preloved by its previous owners”, recalls this landlord.

Vikram coordinated long distance, selecting, buying, paying, collecting, and movers delivered to his doorstep. “While most transactions were smooth sailing with sellers’ items being in the condition they claimed, I did get cheated once. The ‘dining set’ was only a table! Luckily, I found a set of six attractive chairs in Chattarpur, New Delhi which now seem a more perfect fit than the original ones.”

The home boasts of white goods in the kitchen, including a massive 500 litre fridge, ACs, furniture, furnishings and accessories purchased at a much lower than the market price, and without Vikram having to leave his home — proving that functionality and economy are strengths to consider.

Buyer Fleurette Latouche has a double agenda. She enjoys “being surrounded by crystal, porcelain and other delicate pieces through reasonably priced purchases online.” 

She continues, “I usually search Lets Deklutter items to donate to my Church. Books for all ages go to the library and help socially disadvantaged children and adults to get interested in reading and improve their knowledge, being unable to purchase such good books. Board games and jigsaw puzzles are enjoyed, and art is taught, which need paints, crayons and brushes. Finally, for crafts I buy knitting, embroidery and craft kits.”

With Lets Deklutter having shown the way – these anecdotes and experiences are an inspiration for a lot of us to join these family friendly platforms where we can find great deals and earn some pin money.

Seller‘s Responsibilities: Giving a full description of the items posted with the products’ pictures, and ensuring the items listed are in a clean, presentable, usable/workable condition. Highlighting any damage/missing part (even negligible one) while posting the item. Pricing the product nominally, keeping in mind that the focus is on decluttering and not profit making. Mentioning whether the item is new or used/pre-loved, and reasons for decluttering. Lastly, pricing and details of contact and pick up location.

Buyer’s Responsibilities: Physically checking items for damages and checking if its in working condition before deal closure (to avoid any subsequent issues). Ensuring that payment for the purchase is made either in advance or while collecting the item.

Tips to Join: Joining the group is a simple process. The membership grows through a domino-effect, where existing members introduce family and friends to the Admins, who in turn give mobile contact and location of the residence.

Thereupon, the group volunteer in-charge inducts new members in appropriate zonal groups. This is important to facilitate logistics of meeting each other, buying/selling counterparts, and a proximate collection/delivery point. 

Members’ unsold posted items get the volunteers’ help through expansion of the seller’s viewer base by posting the same items in other groups in different zones across the city.