CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands									3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 29, 2015	Aug. 27, 2015	May. 28, 2015	Feb. 19, 2015	Nov. 17, 2014	Sep. 15, 2014	May. 28, 2014	Mar. 14, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues:
Storage rental																	$ 1,837,897	$ 1,860,243	$ 1,784,721
Service																	1,170,079	1,257,450	1,239,902
Total Revenues									$ 752,427	$ 746,529	$ 759,734	$ 749,286	$ 777,978	$ 782,697	$ 786,892	$ 770,126	3,007,976	3,117,693	3,024,623
Operating Expenses:
Cost of sales (excluding depreciation and amortization)																	1,290,025	1,344,636	1,288,878
Selling, general and administrative																	844,960	869,572	924,031
Depreciation and amortization																	345,464	353,143	322,037
Loss (Gain) on disposal/write-down of property, plant and equipment (excluding real estate), net																	3,000	1,065	430
Total Operating Expenses																	2,483,449	2,568,416	2,535,376
Operating (Loss) Income									123,269	126,822	129,502	144,934	127,895	141,476	147,290	132,616	524,527	549,277	489,247
Interest Expense, Net (includes Interest Income of $4,208, $2,443 and $3,984 in 2013, 2014 and 2015, respectively)																	263,871	260,717	254,174
Other Expense (Income), Net																	98,590	65,187	75,202
(Loss) Income from Continuing Operations Before Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes and Gain on Sale of Real Estate																	162,066	223,373	159,871
Provision (Benefit) for Income Taxes																	37,713	(97,275)	62,127
Gain on Sale of Real Estate, Net of Tax																	(850)	(8,307)	(1,417)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations									5,940	23,517	54,007	41,739	12,674	858	272,702	42,721	125,203	328,955	99,161
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax									0	0	0	0	729	0	(326)	(612)	0	(209)	831
Net Income (Loss)									5,940	23,517	54,007	41,739	13,403	858	272,376	42,109	125,203	328,746	99,992
Less: Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests																	1,962	2,627	3,530
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Iron Mountain Incorporated									$ 5,705	$ 23,110	$ 53,330	$ 41,096	$ 12,749	$ 66	$ 271,637	$ 41,667	$ 123,241	$ 326,119	$ 96,462
Earnings (Losses) per Share—Basic:
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations									$ 0.03	$ 0.11	$ 0.26	$ 0.20	$ 0.06	$ 0.00	$ 1.42	$ 0.22	$ 0.59	$ 1.68	$ 0.52
Total Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations									0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Iron Mountain Incorporated									0.03	0.11	0.25	0.20	0.06	0.00	1.41	0.22	0.58	1.67	0.51
Earnings (Losses) per Share—Diluted:
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations									0.03	0.11	0.25	0.20	0.06	0.00	1.41	0.22	0.59	1.67	0.52
Total Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations									0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Iron Mountain Incorporated									$ 0.03	$ 0.11	$ 0.25	$ 0.19	$ 0.06	$ 0.00	$ 1.40	$ 0.22	$ 0.58	$ 1.66	$ 0.50
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding-Basic (in shares)																	210,764,000	195,278,000	190,994,000
Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding-Diluted (in shares)																	212,118,085	196,749,195	192,411,881
Dividends Declared per Common Share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.4850	$ 0.4750	$ 0.4750	$ 0.4750	$ 0.4750	$ 0.4750	$ 0.2700	$ 0.2700									$ 1.91	$ 5.3713	$ 1.0800