Need help eleminating spam at the server level (complete newbie to VPS etc)

I want to eliminate spam and need help to do so. I have a VPS1 plan from LiquidWeb running WHM/Cpanel. The VPS is used for my own use and I don't resell to anyone. I do host my moms and sisters domains and e-mail (just moving into their e-mail accounts). I run Exim for my e-mail server. I have setup catch-all to fail at this point.

My thinking about combatting spam is a four stage system that will only allow false positives in the final fourth stage (spam filter in my mail app on my system). The first stage would blacklists, followed by SpamAssasin then server e-mail filters finally delivering it to my mailbox and then my spam filter on my system doing the final stage.

The first stage of course if blacklists. What are the lists that I should use, and in what order should I use them (this is were my knowledge ends)? Now how to I setup their ratings, and what are they? I also am hearing about greylists? What are these, how do they work etc?

Also any scripts I can install (I heard about one that will stop dictionary attacks)? When I setup the blacklists I currently have I see no blacklist/whitelist etc files in the etc folder.

I am completely new to this and want to build my e-mail system from the ground up right to last a long long time.

Thanks all

 

 

 

 

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