This is basically what I used to do with Windows before I switched. All my document, picture, videos, music links pointed to my storage drive and I had a ninite installer with all my required programs ready to go. Plus my barebones microsoft account I used to save all my Windows settings so they just loaded right up when logging in after the new install.
Do you have/know of a guide to pull this kind of thing off on Mint?
On your edit, that gives me horrible flashbacks to early 2k KDE. I’m ocularly offended.