Keep drop shadow off background

Hi,
I'd like to add drop shadows to layers without it hitting the background - so it only lands on the actual objects behind.
I've currently done this by creating clipping paths to mask off the unwanted areas, but this is a faily complex setup on the file I'm dealing with. If I change the positions of any of the (many) items on the artboard, I have to recreate all the masks.
Is there a simpler way without using masks, like, for example, just telling the file not to render effects on the background?
I'm guessing not, but thought it was worth a hopeful ask...
Thanks
Kieran

Hi Kurt
Sorry - good point - I'm on Illustrator CC
Here's an example of the effect I'm looking for. The white background is simply the default background of the .AI file - there's no object there. As you can see, the shadow is to fall only on the coloured squares. I've done this using masking, but it's pretty complex...
Cheers
K

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