To accomplish this without pulling out a ladder, I would walk around the outside of the house looking up at the gutter from underneath, for discoloration of the gutter. This will indicate there is water running over the lip of the gutter and down the face of the gutter. ...then I would walk around the outside of the house again, only this time, looking down, at the ground under the gutters looking for soil or  mulch to be washed out around the foundation of the house. This will indicate the water is running over the lip of the gutter wearing a hole into the ground. In the event the gutter is over the driveway or a walkway, you should look for discoloration on the area under the gutter.

• Walk around the outside of the house looking up at gutters.
• Walk around the outside of house looking down at the ground.
• Repeat with the change of every season.

Most homeowners dismiss their gutters until it's too late and wind up suffering the consequences. You should, in most cases, do this procedure 4 times per year. This doesn't necessarily mean a cleaning would be required. However, keep an eye on them. You don't know what may clump up in your spouts- tennis balls, birds' nests, a stick, roofing sediment. That is all in addition to the seasonal debris- seeds in the spring, leaves in the fall. Again, check them quarterly for proper flow during rain and expect to need a cleaning 1-2 times per year.