Best way to clear a space for a garden?

There's an area in my backyard that's dilapidated and covered with weeds. I want to clear it out and plant a garden there, but have no idea how to go about it. I've been planning to just dig until all the grass is gone. All the tools I really have are a shovel, a hoe, and a rake. Is there a special way I could go about it to make it easier? Is there a product I could use to help get rid of the weeds? Any advice on the process is appreciated.