Scrappy patchwork advice?

I'm just wondering how people make their scrappy patchwork look... Good? When I've tried it in the past it always just looks a mess and is very visually overwhelming!

From all my offcuts, I've tried to salvage 2.5in squares and I've amassed a lot of them! So just wondering if anyone has any tips for the colour pairings?

I just really don't trust my own opinions on this! I know I could checkerboard them but the idea of cutting HUNDREDS of tiny background squares makes me exhausted already lol