WordPress Blog With Commenting

I need a straightforward WordPress-based blog set up from scratch. The priority is a clean, uncluttered layout where readers can easily browse posts and leave comments; the native WordPress commenting tools are fine as long as they are styled to match the theme and include basic spam protection and moderation options.

The domain and hosting are ready—what’s missing is the actual site. You’ll install WordPress, configure a lightweight theme (free or premium, I’m open to suggestions), and structure the site with an intuitive home page, post feed, and individual article pages. I’d like categories and tags in place so future content stays organized.

Core deliverables
• Fully installed and configured WordPress instance on my host
• Responsive theme customized to suit a simple blog aesthetic
• Comment section active on all posts, with moderation enabled and tested
• Essential plugins set up (security, backups, SEO basics, anti-spam)
• Brief walkthrough so I can add posts, manage comments, and update content on my own

Optional extras—if you feel they fit naturally into the build (and won’t bloat the site), let me know what you recommend. Otherwise, please keep things lean and easy to maintain.

Timing is flexible but I’d like to see a first draft theme and structure within a week of project start.