Best practices for moving from my iMac to my new MacBook Pro without carrying along a lot of junk?

Some suggestions are welcome!
I have been using an iMac late 2009 21.5" for the last few years. Recently I received a new MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro has better specs (better cpu, more RAM, SSD drive) and is overall faster. I got an external 27" IPS monitor to hook up to the HDMI port and going forward I would like to use the new MBP with external monitor as my main desktop computer and keep my iMac as a backup machine if the MBP ever needs repairs.
Anyway, I have two backups of my iMac: (1) Time Machine, which does its usual incremental backup, but excludes some things, like Parallels VMs and (2) A CCC bootable clone that runs every night at 3:30 am while I'm asleep. And as I'm writing this I'm updating that clone copy.
The thing is, I don't want to move everything over to my new MBP. Over the years I've accumulated a lot of junk, and currently am using about 450 GB of the 512 GB disk space. My new MBP also has 512 GB of space, but I figure why not just bring over what I think is necessary and later on, if I'm missing something, I can get it from the CCC backup or the Time Machine backup. (I will get new backup drives for the MBP). My guess is I don't really need even half of what I've currently got on my iMac HD.
So I don't think I want to use the Time Machine migration assistant. And I don't want to restore the new computer from the CCC clone. But I do want to add in enough applications and documents and settings so I can continue running much like I am running on my iMac. I'd like my installed software (BBEdit, Office, Parallels, CCC, etc.) to be licensed and avoid a new install of each app if possible. I'd like the apps with open documents to remember which docs were open, and when I start them again have things open up like they did on my iMac.
Are there some strategies people can recommend for this? Like for each application, copy over the application, and related preference files from ~/Library? Or are there some applications which just plain have to be re-installed to work right?
If what I'm thinking of doing is too complicated, the alternative would be to do a complete restore to the MBP and then try an extensive hash-and-slash and attempt to delete old, unneeded things.
But I have old preference files going back years and I figure why not start afresh, since everything is so incredibly speedy on my new MBP.
What do people here usually do when they get a new computer that will replace the old one?
Thanks,
Doug

Well, I've been trying this for a while. By my calculations, at this rate, installing all the applications one by one and trying to restore all the data manually will take me about six years. I would finished just in time for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
The main problem is, I don't know where all the bodies are buried. Just one example, I'm using Cornerstone for an svn client. I have working copies of multiple repositories on my computer. I really don't want to set them all up again, and I can't figure out where the Cornerstone preferences and all settings are stored. I couldn't find them in the Library anywhere.
And that's just one case.
I haven't done much with my MacBook Pro yet, I think in retrospect the easiest course of action is to reinstall OS X as though it were new MacBook Pro, start from scratch, and use my Time Machine backup with the migration assistant and go from there.
And that's what I'm doing right now. I'm in the middle of reinstalling OS X.
Afterwords I'll use a clean app uninstaller application to get rid of all the applications that I'm not using. And I'll just hack away at directories that I know I haven't looked at for years, with the confidence that I have a backup both in Time Machine and in CCC and also on my iMac. That's three backups.
I would rather start out "light", but I can see it's just going to take forever and a day to get it done. Anyway, fortunately nothing is carved in stone, and I can always try again if I want to. But dealing with all the documents and all the applications one by one separately was just obviously going to take too much time.
I'll report back on my results. And I appreciate your suggestion.
Doug

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Migration Assistant is not a general file moving tool. MA will migrate your Applications and Home folders transferring only your third-party applications. MA will transfer any application support folders required by your applications, your preferences, and network setup. You do not have a choice of what will be migrated other than the above. MA cannot determine whether anything transferred is compatible with Snow Leopard. I recommend you look at the following:
A Basic Guide for Migrating to Intel-Macs
If you are migrating a PowerPC system (G3, G4, or G5) to an Intel-Mac be careful what you migrate. Keep in mind that some items that may get transferred will not work on Intel machines and may end up causing your computer's operating system to malfunction.
Rosetta supports "software that runs on the PowerPC G3, G4, or G5 processor that are built for Mac OS X". This excludes the items that are not universal binaries or simply will not work in Rosetta:
Classic Environment, and subsequently any Mac OS 9 or earlier applications
Screensavers written for the PowerPC
System Preference add-ons
All Unsanity Haxies
Browser and other plug-ins
Contextual Menu Items
Applications which specifically require the PowerPC G5
Kernel extensions
Java applications with JNI (PowerPC) libraries
See also What Can Be Translated by Rosetta.
In addition to the above you could also have problems with migrated cache files and/or cache files containing code that is incompatible.
If you migrate a user folder that contains any of these items, you may find that your Intel-Mac is malfunctioning. It would be wise to take care when migrating your systems from a PowerPC platform to an Intel-Mac platform to assure that you do not migrate these incompatible items.
If you have problems with applications not working, then completely uninstall said application and reinstall it from scratch. Take great care with Java applications and Java-based Peer-to-Peer applications. Many Java apps will not work on Intel-Macs as they are currently compiled. As of this time Limewire, Cabos, and Acquisition are available as universal binaries. Do not install browser plug-ins such as Flash or Shockwave from downloaded installers unless they are universal binaries. The version of OS X installed on your Intel-Mac comes with special compatible versions of Flash and Shockwave plug-ins for use with your browser.
The same problem will exist for any hardware drivers such as mouse software unless the drivers have been compiled as universal binaries. For third-party mice the current choices are USB Overdrive or SteerMouse. Contact the developer or manufacturer of your third-party mouse software to find out when a universal binary version will be available.
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Before migrating or installing software on your Intel-Mac check MacFixit's Rosetta Compatibility Index.
Additional links that will be helpful to new Intel-Mac users:
Intel In Macs
Apple Guide to Universal Applications
MacInTouch List of Compatible Universal Binaries
MacInTouch List of Rosetta Compatible Applications
MacUpdate List of Intel-Compatible Software
Transferring data with Setup Assistant - Migration Assistant FAQ
Because Migration Assistant isn't the ideal way to migrate from PowerPC to Intel Macs, using Target Disk Mode, copying the critical contents to CD and DVD, an external hard drive, or networking
will work better when moving from PowerPC to Intel Macs. The initial section below discusses Target Disk Mode. It is then followed by a section which discusses networking with Macs that lack Firewire.
If both computers support the use of Firewire then you can use the following instructions:
1. Repair the hard drive and permissions using Disk Utility.
2. Backup your data. This is vitally important in case you make a mistake or there's some other problem.
3. Connect a Firewire cable between your old Mac and your new Intel Mac.
4. Startup your old Mac in Target Disk Mode.
5. Startup your new Mac for the first time, go through the setup and registration screens, but do NOT migrate data over. Get to your desktop on the new Mac without migrating any new data over.
If you are not able to use a Firewire connection (for example you have a Late 2008 MacBook that only supports USB:)
1. Set up a local home network: Creating a small Ethernet Network.
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MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008) and MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008)- Migration Tips and Tricks;
MacBook (13-inch, Aluminum, Late 2008) and MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008)- What to do if migration is unsuccessful;
MacBook Air- Migration Tips and Tricks;
MacBook Air- Remote Disc, Migration, or Remote Install Mac OS X and wireless 802.11n networks.
Copy the following items from your old Mac to the new Mac:
In your /Home/ folder: Documents, Movies, Music, Pictures, and Sites folders.
In your /Home/Library/ folder:
/Home/Library/Application Support/AddressBook (copy the whole folder)
/Home/Library/Application Support/iCal (copy the whole folder)
Also in /Home/Library/Application Support (copy whatever else you need including folders for any third-party applications)
/Home/Library/Keychains (copy the whole folder)
/Home/Library/Mail (copy the whole folder)
/Home/Library/Preferences/ (copy the whole folder)
/Home /Library/Calendars (copy the whole folder)
/Home /Library/iTunes (copy the whole folder)
/Home /Library/Safari (copy the whole folder)
If you want cookies:
/Home/Library/Cookies/Cookies.plist
/Home/Library/Application Support/WebFoundation/HTTPCookies.plist
For Entourage users:
Entourage is in /Home/Documents/Microsoft User Data
Also in /Home/Library/Preferences/Microsoft
Credit goes to Macjack for this information.
If you need to transfer data for other applications please ask the vendor or ask in the Discussions where specific applications store their data.
5. Once you have transferred what you need restart the new Mac and test to make sure the contents are there for each of the applications.
Written by Kappy with additional contributions from a brody.
Revised 1/6/2009
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