Midge Valentine

Biography

My name is Margaret Valentine, and I was born on Feb. 6, 1948, in Huntington Sta., Long Island. New York. I completed high school in 1966, and worked as an Operating Room Tech. for the next 6 years.

In 1972 my sister Elizabeth and I formed a commercial/domestic cleaning service. The business grew quickly. Soon we added catering to the mix, doing small parties for our costumers.

After my younger sisters death in 1979, the family moved to Connecticut. We needed a complete change. Elizabeth and I re-established our business and watched It grow again. By the mid 80's we moved out of cleaning into full time food service. The last 15 years of our business has been spent as a Corporate Caterers for two prominent Medical Manufacturers. We retired in Sept. of 2009.

Even though we had phased out the cleaning , we never forgot our customers. As they grew older, their children would call us to help downsize the homestead so that mom could move to a Senior Condo, or dad could move in with his daughter. Elizabeth and I where happy to help.

When we retired in 2009, we thought life would slow down and be a bit boring. We were so wrong. Our greatest challenge came through an old family friend. Elizabeth had taken the job of being the Executor for her Living Trust many years ago. In November of 2009, Dot had been hospitalized for over-medicating herself. Her Dementia was starting to cause complications. Her doctor would not let her live alone any longer. It was decided that she should go to an Assisted Living Facility to get the supervision she needed. The task of downsizing and selling Dot's house fell to Elizabeth and myself. What we didn't know was that Dementia had turned a perfectly organized person into a hoarder and pack rat. It took us a long time to downsize and sell her house.

In 2015, when things grew quiet again, I thought I might dabble in something that I had always wanted to do. I have enjoyed writing for a very long time but, never had the time to get serious about it. I thought I might try my hand at writing a book about our experience with The Dot Project. By the third day of writing, the book had taken on a life of it's own. It shifted from a story to a "How To Manuel" on methodically organizing and downsizing a home. The book covers all the steps from setting up the medical/legal aspects to the final sale. I only wish that I could have had this book when Elizabeth and I where doing Dot's house. It would have saved us a lot of time and stress.

If you would like to read the long version of this Bio., please go to http://www.makingthemove.biz/authors-biography/

Smashwords Interview

What's the story behind your latest book?
In September of 2009 my sister Elizabeth and I retired after running our cleaning/catering business for 37 years. We thought life would slow down and get a bit boring, boy where we wrong! Years before Elizabeth had agreed to be the Administrator of a living trust for an old family friend. Dot had been diagnosed with Dementia. She needed someone she could trust to take charge of her affairs. By November of 2009 we where knee deep in cleaning out Dot’s house and getting it ready for sale.

We had done this many times for our cleaning customers and though this would be a piece of cake. The first time we walked into the house we realized how wrong we where. Our organized retired school teacher had become a pack rat and hoarder. It took two very large dumpsters and months of hard work to finally complete the project.

Life finally calmed down in 2014. Dot had come to live with us for a time and the “Golden Girls” had settled down to quiet and boring. I got this great idea to write a book on our experience with the Dot Project. Writing had always been a passion of mine but, I put it off until I had the time to do it.

By January of 2015, I was still struggling with the book. It just would not come together. You are going to laugh at me but, I had a long talk with God about this. “I could use some help here!” Either I write this book or I trash the idea and go back to my gardening. On January 2, at 4:30 in the morning, I sat down at my computer and started to write. Hours later, I looked at what was on the page and was amazed. The book had taken on a life of its own. Instead of a book about the Dot Project, it had become a How to Guide for seniors.

I began to realize that many in my age group are going to face the same fate as Dot. It will fall to their children and caregivers to take charge for them. Cleaning out a house is not as easy as it sounds considering you have 60 years of memories and clutter to sort through. At first look, the job will seem overwhelming! Keeping yourself organized and on track is the challenge. “Making the Move” is designed to help you stay focus on the task in front of you. Hopefully it will keep the stress level to a minimum.
What is so special about the format of this book?
“Making the Move” was designed to be practical and simple. It was originally created in Word Doc. To be downloaded onto your computer. The reader can copy the blank forms, put them on a clip board and you are ready to organize the move.

You will get an idea of the books content by sampling the book through your e-book devises but, it may seem a bit confusing. It is for me, I’m old fashion and I’m not use to reading my books side ways. For a better understanding of “Making the Move” I invite you to my web-site. www.makingthemove.biz

In the future, I have plans to publish “Making the Move” as a soft cover workbook. Hopefully I can talk one of the Big Box stores to carry it.
Read more of this interview.

Where to find Midge Valentine online

Where to buy in print

Books

Making The Move
Price: $18.95 USD. Words: 2,810. Language: English. Published: September 29, 2016 . Categories: Nonfiction » Reference » Personal & Practical Guides
“MakingTheMove” is an e-book created to help seniors and caregivers downsize any home quickly, efficiently and with less stress. . It comes complete with forms to organize and suggestions to save you time and expense.Although the book was designed for seniors, it has other uses. Anyone who is packing up for a move will find the forms and info invaluable in keeping themselves on track.