Ugh...this is long, sorry, but here goes:
The decision was a gradual process, really part of my overall H journey and, honestly, life journey. I had always worn scarves, they worked well for my daily uniform (think similar to how men wear ties), given my role and industry. It got to a point of me being known for wearing an H scarf pretty much every single day (think Madeleine Albright and her brooches, used to convey a message, feeling, etc.). I think my mania peaked somewhere in 2015/6. Then, in the last 7 years, my life has changed. I no longer work, so my daily uniform is significantly less formal. I started rescuing animals so home is really a loungewear situation (even the more casual clothing pieces stay in the closet as not to be covered in animal hair). My style has also evolved somewhat (this is a normal turn of events for many) but, on top of it all, I've reassessed how I'm living my life. How, as a society, we get frothed up into consuming more than we really need (or even want, for that matter). Example: the feeling of not having anything to wear is also a symptom of having too much choice presented. That said, I have always been a fashion lover so my various collections will remain larger, worn or not. For me...I'll never fully cull it to the capsule or necessities, I couldn't and don't want to. So this "curation" was a steady, long-time-coming, situation. I think the conversation making me realise I had so many scarves but only 1 neck and I could go nearly 6 months without repeating...when I heard myself say that out loud...something inside me made me question myself. I also found myself getting more weary each and every season, fewer pieces were doing it for me - likely because I had so many.
I will say, as an aside, I go through periods (years even) of not really wearing scarves and then hop on that train again. So, I did remind myself of this before I went all out mad and got rid of most of them. The fact that I will remain a collector stands but I was also maxing out my storage space. And, most importantly: as a collector, I love these pieces. I'm also a lover of the house, its heritage, and the artists. I feel I'm not doing these pieces justice by keeping them hidden and them never seeing the light of day. I want them to live, and to be enjoyed. I've never been precious with my collection. For me, each piece deserves to be seen. Maybe similar to rescues, that forever family was not me - I was a temporary caretaker. Someone else could give the piece the life it deserved. And so I set out on my journey.
I really started there...some pieces, as nice as they were, were just not me and, most likely, never were and never will be. Some were never worn. I bought them because I loved the design and felt compelled to buy something. But never did I think how it would fit into my life. So those were easy to pick out, but there are still more of that ilk that need to be culled...I'll get around to them soon enough. Then there were those that I really loved but simply would not reach for because I had something similar that was more suitable, or the CW was off and did nothing for me. I was quite hard on myself there and just convinced myself that they needed to go. There my heart felt heavy: Jaguar Quetzal in the black and gris chine was tough (gris chine - as well as that oatmeal toned natural colour - drained me and just didn't work as much as I loved the design) and I even shed a tear when I sold C'est la Fete (1st edition, men's, grey/black/white which hasn't been touched for over a decade). Such pieces could only remain if they had an emotional component to them: worn on a special occasion, received a gift, etc. I'm also a fan of Dallet, so those I've not been able to part with, exception being Monsieur et Madame (but that's a collab).
Almost every piece that went, I tried on, I looked to see if it sparked anything and it didn't or, if it did, I was honestly questioning myself on whether or not it looked good on me. And off they went. Some were gifted to friends. The majority were sold. Some of the incoming funds were used to fill up the created space with new acquisitions such as a couple Claire de Lunes last season. And so it goes...I need to do another round when I'm up for it and, because of not missing these 30, I have now reached a spot where - as
@textilegirl mentions - new acquisitions just have to sing.
It's funny, because despite all the choice I still have, my earliest CSGMs remain the pieces I reach for the most. I laugh at myself for this...or maybe I'm just too lazy and grab what I know works every time. I promised myself, post cull, to do my best to give the remaining scarves more air time. And likely will need to cull a few more out of my collection now that I realise it really wasn't too bad/too hard on me. I must say I am particularly happy when a buyer sends me a note saying how much they love their new piece and how happy they are wearing it. It underscores that I'm making the right decision.
Edit: sometimes I even see one of my sold scarves pop up here, presented by their new owner. It's usually because they use the same handle here as on the site where they purchased it from, so I know it is them. Seeing it living out there in the world sparks as much joy as the original acquisition. It's living its best life.
After marinating for more than 5 years, it was time for them to go to a better home, all with tags attached.
The next group that I need to work on are the ones that I no longer wear!
it's hard to do! I haven't been wearing my 90s much for a while, but I'm not ready to part with them. Well, maybe one or two of them. 
Thankfully, I've never had a big collection, so they're not taking up much space. And, I'm happy to just take them out and gaze at them occasionally! 
But, at some point, if still unworn, I'll want to pare down. 
It's definitely a journey! 