Invest in a good soldering iron. It's the difference between an enjoyable build, and a frustrating build.
Your soldering iron should be capable of melting lead-free solder (which has a higher melting point).
It should have a fine tip so you can easily go into those tight quarters and solder tiny pins spaced very closely together.
However, use the appropriate tip for the job. If you'll be soldering hookup wires, a fine tip soldering iron is not the best. Use a tip that is a little fatter. It will hold heat well, and distribute it on a bigger surface area.
Get an iron with temperature control. Digital readout is nice.
Get an iron that "cools down" to a lower temperature when in stand-by mode... (i.e. the iron is back on the stand) Then when you pick up the iron to use it, it heats up back to your set temperature within a second or two. This will lengthen the life of your iron and tips.
Don't use those damped sponge pads to clean your soldering iron tip. Instead, use something like this.
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