Lens storage question

LBA struck last week, and I'm now the proud owner of a K85/1.8. Having taken a few pictures with it over the weekend, I'm hooked and very happy with it.

However, seeing how much they sell for means that I'm a bit nervous about using it now!

Aside from being very careful, does anyone have any good advice as regards storing it? Unfortunately I don't have the original hard case, so am planning to keep it in a foam lined case, with a packet of silica gel, in a dry part of the house (old house, not that damp any more). Any other suggestions would be gratefully received.

I thought the living room on a shelve where the best places to store lenses, fresh air and the temperature doesn't fluctuate as much.
I believe Hefty said that lenses are best stored in environment we like so not in a case.

I see, thanks.

I'll have to put up a shelf out of reach of my kids. (and judiciously rotate which lenses are stored on it so as not to have them all out at once...)

I wonder however how you can best place a lens on your shelf, with the front element up, down or the lens on his side?

You could put them in an open box/case and simply lie that on-top of a closet, don't know if you can do that though.

I must say I have been pretty cavalier with lens storage, many seldom used ones (e.g. SMC Takumars) are in their original case in Tufcrates in my garage and I haven't had any problems.

BTW I'd really like to see some results from your lens, especially wide open.

I have a CD rack in the form of a series of diamonds. Each lens sits on its side supported in a "V" with air circulating around it.

Mine either live in Lowepro lens cases (with a silica gel sachet in every case, usually in the mesh pocket in the lid) or in my gear bag (which also has a couple of gel packets inside).

Generally the trick seems to be to open the cases up and use the lenses once in a while, let the air circulate and don't put them away wet. Also worth letting them come back up to room temperature before putting them back in the bag if, say, you've just been outside shooting night snow scenes.

An open shelf houses the reserve lens stock. They have their caps on and sit the right way up on the shelves. The room is centrally heated and dry.

The lenses in use, never put away damp, are in my Billingham bag along with the K20D.