Looks like he steered you well indeed- especially with regards to the paint. Good stuff, looks like you got most of what you'll need. To this list I would add a good hobby knife (Xacto style is terrific), and a set of sprue cutters to remove the parts from the runners.
Tamiya thinner is useful for thinning, but too expensive to bother with for cleaning. To clean brushes, I use a small bottle filled with Windex type glasscleaner- absolutely perfect for use with Tamiya's acrylics.
Personally I'd have recommended a set of sanding sticks over sandpaper, but the paper will do.
Start with the bodywork. That way you can do the cockpit/chassis as you wait for the paint to outgas. Inspect the body, sand off all the mold lines, and lightly sand the whole thing with fine sandpaper to give the primer/paint some 'tooth' to hold onto. Then scrub it thoroughly- I like to use an old toothbrush with a little dishsoap. Prime it, inspect it, prime it some more, and sand the primer nice and smooth with 2000 grit paper. Then you're ready for paint. Build it up slowly and lightly. Same with the clearocoat. Then set it aside for a week or so to outgas. Prep and painting should probably take about a week or so, plus outgassing. Meanwhile you can work on the other bits. Or read.