I took a few VHS tapes to a place that made DVD's for me, for a fee. They also recycled the VHS tapes. Considering how much time you invested in digitizing on your own, paying someone might be cheaper. The guy to whom I took my VHS tapes gave me a good quantity discount. Since she has a lot, you may be able to get a bargain deal if you take ALL of them to be converted to DVD's. But she has to go with you and she has to understand and agree to leaving the VHS tapes to be recycled. I have not read the sources you have read but based on your reading, it appears that involving her and not doing it for her or on her behalf is of paramount importance.
DVD's take up much less space than VHS tapes.

This is a very stylish DVD bin (the darker one, in cocoa).

I use those because plastic DVD containers look too institutional for me (albeit very convenient). But these ones I have on a book shelf as a piece of decor. Note that this bin has the DVDs out in the open, so they need occasional dusting. There are closed containers that do not present this problem. They do not have to be plastic.