Get Time Machine Backup from Desktop on Laptop

I want to erase my home intel iMac desktop and relocate it to my office for staff to use. My desktop and laptop have different files and I want to get all of them in one place on my laptop so I can have all the space on my desktop free. What is the best way to do this? My ideas so far are to:

1. Create a partition on my laptop and restore a time machine backup of my desktop to it and then erase the desktop (which would take forever).

or

2. Transfer all desktop files via firewire to laptop and hope I can automatically erase any duplicate files (would be faster but would it be as thorough?).

Which one would be faster and/or better? Or is there a better option?? Any help is appreciated and I need to do this asap. Thanks!

 

Well I used migration assistant and haven't been able to log on as the new user since the new user doesn't show up in the start up user menu. I was able to find the files but could only access most of them as a root user. No matter what I did, I couldn't access them as system administrator. and the main files with the desktop info appeared with red icons over them, telling me i didn't have sufficient permissions. I've deleted all of the files and repaired all permissions on my imac. I am going to attempt migration assistant again and if it doesn't work I will manually move the files. If anyone could reply to this post with something helpful I sure would appreciate it