When you lift is mostly a matter of figuring out the time that you are most likely to stick with. When I come home from work, the last thing I want to think about is lifting weights. I work out at home. (have not used a gym on a regular basis in about 2 years) I wake up early, eat a small meal (usually a whey protein and olive oil shake) and lift about 30 mins. later. If I'm going to do cardio, I'll do it later in the day.
(One note about cardio... it is NOT the only way to lose fat... it can help, but don't overdo it. I do it about 3 or 4 days per week for about 20 mins. and I always consider it less important than resistance training.)

This takes a while to get used to, but it will energize you for the day and it just feels good to not have to think about it for the rest of the day.

I agree with Built about the specifics of the workout.

Don't worry too much about not knowing what you are doing... just start light, focus on perfect form, and remember to let your muscles heal... if a bodypart is still sore, then it's too not good to work it again. You'll see results if you are consistant.