However, the issue is that I have to use sudo when using these commands and as a result after mounting I cannot make changes to my files in the drive(s) without using sudo.
This isn't because you're using sudo to mount, that is the way to do it. This is because you're mounting to a directory for which your regular user does not have write access. Create a directory owned by your user and make sure you have write access with sudo first. Or make it owned by a group that your user is a member (I use media) and give that group write access. Then mount the drive to that directory in the usual way (I prefer to clutter up my fstab with entries I rarely use). You should now have access without sudo.
9 out of 10 times new users are struggling with access, it's not a problem with the software, but a problem with permissions.