Climate controlled units hold a more even temperature from a January cold snap through an August humid stretch. That is what wood furniture, electronics, records, photographs, instruments, and boxes of paperwork actually need. If you would not want it sitting in an unheated garage for six months, put it on this side of the property.

Non-climate units here are drive-up, so you back straight to your own roll-up door and skip the long carry with an armful of boxes. Outdoor spaces handle the bigger things, the RV, the boat, and the vehicle that has been taking up the driveway. Renting both is common, a space for the camper and a unit close by for the gear that goes in it.

Oak Crest Hill Rd SE runs alongside Highway 218 on the south edge of Iowa City, a short drive from the Riverside Drive corridor and the university campus. That keeps the trip quick from Coralville, North Liberty, Hills, or anywhere on the south side of town. It also means you are pulling off a highway rather than working your way through downtown traffic with a loaded trailer.