If you only have the one camera and lens, the best maintenace in this way is to *use* it. Do not try to go to extremes unless you know how to do it right. If you over-protect something, and botch it, you're as likely to be sealing moisture and mold in its ideal damp environment as to be protecting anything. An ordinary camera bag bag, not-tightly sealed, in a reasonably-climate-controlled space is going to be one of the best things you can do.
If you have a *lot* of stuff, some of which might tend to be shut away in the dark for long periods, that's when you want to take a lot of care. If you close something up in a Southern clime and aren't assiduous about maintenance, you could do more harm than good: dessicants basically turn into sponges: once past their capacity, they'll actually release moisture in bad ways if the space is locked up too tightly, and that's a breeding ground for molds.
If in doubt, take nothing to extremes.
As for dust, just use common sense. Simply don't be so afraid of it that you end up trapping moisture. It'll be OK.