Well i use the "3 stack" method. One stack for "pocket money", like a strike, cashapp, or any lightning wallet, like Aqua, Green, Breez. The next stack is for medium size amts, more than i would be comfortable carrying on a phone wallet. For this i like Sparrow desktop wallet. I use this stack for btc that i might need in the near future. Then the third stack is my cold storage, the btc i plan to hold forever. For this stack i use a hardware wallet (Coldcard in my case, but there are others).

An exchange is just where you buy the bitcoin. Exodus is a wallet, and i think it works pretty well, except i like to use bitcoin-only wallets, where there is less attack surface, so thats why i like Sparrow wallet on desktop.

On Youtube, Ian Major and BTC Sessions both have excellent tutorials on setting up Sparrow wallet. They go on to connect it to a Coldcard, but the first setup steps are the same even if you dont connect it to Coldcard. I would watch both of them explain it, because i picked up different tips from both of them.

I have learned alot by listening to podcasts, so that might help you too. I'm not an expert by any stretch, but i listen to folks that know alot more than i do.