Good work! You'll probably find that if you remove the quick-release skewer and put it back in so that the handle is on the opposite side, it will be less likely to interfere with the derailleur and cables.

The crank is pretty simple to work on, and it's a good idea to open up the guts and see what the bearings look like. Just remember that everything on the left side (meaning the side without the chain) is reverse threaded - counter clockwise to tighten and clockwise to loosen. Sheldon Brown has a brief set of instructions on those cranks here: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/opc.html