saving "user"/"home folder data on external? (Internal and External SSD)

[icibaqu]

I recently bought a new Mac mini with a 256 SSD internal drive. However, since I have much more than 256 GB of data on the older iMac I'm transferring from, I also got a 2TB Samsung T5 external drive and a WD HD for backups (my older time machine backup drive is old and slow). The data I need to transfer is made up of multiple users.

Now I am looking for the best way to store my documents, photos, iTunes, etc. on the External SSD. I came across some articles online that have me use Migration Assistant to get the User's Home Folder on the new drive, and then basically drag it to the external and delete it from the "internal drive" (Here the Mini's 256 SSD). Then, once the home folder has been moved, it suggests deleting whatever I just transferred tot he internal drive and copied to the external (which makes sense).

However, I'm wondering if this is the best way of going about this. Would it be easier/better to keep some of the user/home folder on the internal SSD, and offload the iPhoto, etc. data that takes up space and just map it to the external drive?

Can someone help me figure out the best way to do this?

 

[Fishrrman]

You can "trim down" the size of the home folders by moving the large libraries (inside the home folders) to an external drive.

That way, the OS, apps, and home folders can fit onto the 256gb internal drive with plenty of room to spare.

The libraries I'm talking about would normally be things like the Photos library, the iTunes music folder, movies (wherever they are stored), etc.

You have to do this a certain way, but again, it will "cut those home folders down to size".

Final thought:
STOP USING Time Machine for backups.
Use either CarbonCopyCloner or SuperDuper instead.
This will keep the size of your backup drive "under control".