How to know if you're doing ok even when the obvious doesn't show

This article on SparkPeople made me think. We all know that losing weight and organising have a lot in common: they both demand persistence, self-discipline, goals-setting techniques and baby steps to succeed. Is this another area where these two journeys are similar? Is there signs that your organisation is improving, or at least maintaining, even when the obvious (the look of your house, basically) isn't saying so? For me, the answer is clearly YES! Here are some signs I've seen even when I had the feeling to be stuck:

1. I'm feeling more peaceful, I don't have the feeling that things are out of control and that a huge wave is right behind me and will drown me anytime soon.
2. Even if things aren't properly put away, I still can find them quickly enough and I can still function. This sign can be dangerous, though, because the frontier is thin between that moment and the "I can't find anything, argggggh!! *hair pulling*" situation!
3. The very basic maintenance is done: dishes are cleared regularly (even if it's not done every day), we have clean clothes and underwear (even if we sometimes have to pick them directly from the drying line), the house is picked up.
4. I have energy and I don't have the feeling that my environement is dragging me down.
5. I don't freak out when friends show up unannounced, I'm comfortable with my house.
6. My house isn't only a house, it feels like a home, a cocoon, a retreat, and I look forward to be there.
7. I don't have "bad surprises", for example bills I forgot to pay or forms I was sure I had send back after filling them.
8. I can relax without feeling guilty and enjoy a good book or movie without a little voice in my head saying "You should be doing this or that, you lazy!"
9. I enjoy organising and getting a little further each time, without falling in the "organising for the sake of it and getting lost in the process rather than focusing on the goal" trap.
10. I see my house differently, I notice things I didn't see anymore, like that pile of clutter here, or that beautiful space there. Suddenly I re-discover my environement with new eyes.

Have you noticed those signs in weight loss or oganisation? And in any other area of your life?