A true confession: I've only played with miniatures a few times in my life. Most of the time, my buddies and I do D&D over google hangouts, using no visuals (other than occasional screen-sharing). While playing my budget version of D&D, I've picked up a couple tricks for making theater of the mind combat smooth and fun.
Five Tips to Set the Stage for Theater of the Mind Combat
The Chaotic Neutral Chronicles 