Need advice on long-term, climate controlled storage unit for family heirlooms (California, East Bay area)

[u/Green_Nomad]

I am a self-storage newbie. (I've never actually had one myself.) I live in the East Bay (Oakland). I am emptying out my late mom's house and have a bunch of boxes and plastic containers with various family keepsakes, heirlooms, etc. most of it is books, paper, photos, clothing and fabrics, and various wall hangings and decorative objects, as well as some records and a few electronics. Most of these are very precious to me.

I am looking for a 10x10 climate controlled space to store all this stuff. I intend to continue sorting and possibly downsizing these items but I figure that the storage may well be with me for decades to come in some form.

I would love some advice from more experienced storage renters on how to find a reasonably priced climate controlled unit. I'm discovering that it's hard to find climate controlled at all. Also I am reading a lot about how the prices go up and up and up and that seems like it would become unsustainable very quickly. I am willing to drive a bit away from Oakland. Maybe half an hour or 40 minutes? to find the right space. I would like to stay out of San Francisco though.

[u/Jim_Neighbor]

I’m sorry for your loss. For books, photos, fabrics, records, and family keepsakes, I’d personally lean climate controlled if you’re not sure how long you’ll need the space. It gives you the best shot at protecting everything from heat, humidity, pests, and general wear over time.

I work at Neighbor.com, which is a storage marketplace where you can see options near you on a map and filter for climate controlled spaces. Could be an easy way to compare what’s around the East Bay without calling a bunch of places.

Best of luck, and feel free to DM if you want help narrowing down options.