My default VS layout is to have two full screens: editor on the left screen where I often have a source file and its tests open side by side and on the right screen - the source tree, the test runner, the output window, team explorer etc.
If you have 2012 or newer, just grab the item tab and pull it to another screen.[1] You can also rearrange the tabs within a window to have for example, several files open side by side.