How a starter is stored can greatly affect its performance. A starter should not be stored in direct sunlight. However, natural yeast needs warmth to grow. When I am feeding mine to be used, I keep it on my counter near my oven but not too close that it would become overheated. My kitchen temperature is usually around 71 degrees Fahrenheit.
Room Temp Vs. Fridge Temp
Once your starter is up and running and growing, if it is kept at room temperature it must be fed at least once a day, preferably more. As you’ll start to realize, leaving your starter out on the counter is going to result in a lot of wasted flour & water since you will need to feed it more frequently then you will probably be baking with it. This means starter discard is going down the drain. Not preferable.
This is why many bakers store their starters in the fridge while it is not being used. The cold temperature helps to slow down the starters feeding process. However, it should still be fed at least once a week or hooch will develop.
Hooch is a dark liquid that forms on top of or in pockets throughout a starter. I've known some bakers that stir the hooch back in, saying that it makes the starter more sour. My starters have never developed hooch I think mainly because I make a point of feeding them at least once a week. However, depending on where you live your starter may be more prone to developing hooch simply because of the atmosphere. Simply pour the hooch off before the feeding if it develops if you don't want your starter getting too sour.
If you cannot feed your starter once every week, storing it in the fridge is the best alternative. Place it in an area of the fridge, near the front that will not freeze it. If you have a fairly new starter, it probably is not as strong or resilient as it could be. Make sure your starter is peaked or near peaked before placing it in your fridge to avoid shocking and killing it. Starters can be stored for months like this and will usually revive right back up once fed months later.
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