I know this is such a whiny, first-world problem that I hesitate to even it bring up, but I haven't read anything about solving this type of visual clutter aside from installing a high end audio/visual system that is mostly contained within the walls. Sadly, we can't justify the cost. Although the next logical solution would be to buy a shelving/storage unit to hold all of the audio/visual stuff, but we might move in the next 2-4 years, so a new unit meant might not be appropriate in our next place.
We are on our laptops often, so our laptops live on our side tables in the living room. The only thing on the desk in the office, which was where we once kept a desktop computer, is a wireless router, cable modem for internet, and the printer. Space needs to be between these units due to signal interference. It's all ugly. A portable speaker unit for the iPods replaced a radio that died a couple months ago, but it was suppose to replace the stereo, too. The radio lived on top of the fridge, but the portable speaker unit needs to be on the kitchen counter for accessibility. Then there are five remotes that are almost never in the same place. Connectors and earbuds and little gadgets live on our side tables. Adding to all this clutter -- I am not ready to let go of the stereo because I have found that subtle details in the digital version of some of my music gets lost. Trying to replace the bigger, older technology in favor of smaller, modern devices, has lead to more clutter, or at least a different type of clutter.
It seems like there are electronic gadgets or components on almost every flat surface, and the side tables almost always looks messy. Books, my planner, and various other things get put away, but end up back on the table, usually the same day.
