It is a good idea to know what is out there for instructions for the care of orchids, sometimes it can get to be confusing, which I am sure you have already found that to be true. It is really hard to say which is the best, as you mentioned at the start we all have our ways of caring for them. You raise good questions but there is no way of telling exactly what will work for you. It is a trial and error event, only you can determine what works and the only way you will find that out is to try what you can find that will work for your environment, does anyone else in your area have the same species orchid try to find out what works best for them. You do not state where you live but it is obvious it is in an area that will require you to keep them indoors for at least the winter months, that is something I can not help you with as mine are outside 24/7. Is there a local orchid society club in your area, you might try to find out and if so go to the next meeting and ask questions.
Your last paragraph says it so well, find what works for you even if it causes a problem with your orchid, most orchids are very resilient and if you try something and it does not do well at first try something else, with time orchids can recoup unless left alone for a long period of time. Nature seems to take care of itself in the wild, you just need to figure out what will work for you. Look at your orchid each day after time you will be able to look and say something does not look well here and then figure out what to do next. We have all killed more then we want to say but that is the nature of this hobby, you learn more each day. I have been doing this for close to 30 years and I learn more about them everyday.