->howdysmithy: Well, you surely can. You can kill a fly with a howitzer, too
IMO simplest method possible is old fashioned brain - heart - hand - pencil & ruler. Do not think about files and formats. Think about models. Study how models are constructed. I mean real papermodels, not ripped (stolen) 3D game objects run through Pepakura. In most cases, these are no good.
Then get a 3D view of anything you want to model. It can be a house or a car, whatever. If you get front - side - top view of the object, you can start thinking how should the parts look like. Start by simple boxes, there is always time to complicate things.
Think about how the model will be put together, plan parts accordingly.
Try, try, try for yourself. Costs plenty of time, of course.
And if you insist on 3D computer modelling, it is easier to try some free solutions. Simpler Sketchup (with large community and even some plugin for unfolding) or more complicated Blender.