Selected Consolidated Financial Statements of Parent, Guarantors, Canada Company and Non-Guarantors - Consolidated Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Consolidating financial statements
Ownership percentage of subsidiaries	100.00%
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	$ 236,484	$ 128,381	$ 125,933	$ 120,526
Accounts Receivable	691,249	564,401
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Other Current Assets	184,374	165,130
Total Current Assets	1,112,107	857,912
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	3,083,326	2,497,158
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Goodwill	3,905,021	2,360,978
Other	1,386,346	634,539
Total Other Assets, net	5,291,367	2,995,517
Total Assets	9,486,800	6,350,587	6,523,265
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	172,975	88,068
Total Other Current Liabilities	873,582	753,763
Long-term debt, net of current portion	6,078,206	4,757,610
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	370,669	222,539
Commitments and Contingencies
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	54,697	0	0	0
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	1,936,547	508,841
Noncontrolling Interests	124	19,766
Total Equity	1,936,671	528,607	869,955	1,051,734
Total Liabilities and Equity	9,486,800	6,350,587
Eliminations
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	(674,122)	(1,038,141)
Other Current Assets	(29)	(29)
Total Current Assets	(674,151)	(1,038,170)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	0	0
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	(4,015,330)	(3,326,874)
Investment in Subsidiaries	(2,471,882)	(1,217,732)
Goodwill	0	0
Other	0	0
Total Other Assets, net	(6,487,212)	(4,544,606)
Total Assets	(7,161,363)	(5,582,776)
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	(674,122)	(1,038,141)
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	(29)	(29)
Total Other Current Liabilities	0	0
Long-term debt, net of current portion	0	0
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	(4,015,330)	(3,326,874)
Other Long-term Liabilities	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	0
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	(2,471,882)	(1,217,732)
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Equity	(2,471,882)	(1,217,732)
Total Liabilities and Equity	(7,161,363)	(5,582,776)
Parent | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	2,405	151	2,399	1,243
Accounts Receivable	0	0
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Other Current Assets	0	898
Total Current Assets	2,405	1,049
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	483	661
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	4,014,330	3,325,005
Investment in Subsidiaries	1,659,518	727,710
Goodwill	0	0
Other	0	623
Total Other Assets, net	5,673,848	4,053,338
Total Assets	5,676,736	4,055,048
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	558,492	879,649
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	0	0
Total Other Current Liabilities	58,478	56,740
Long-term debt, net of current portion	3,093,388	2,608,818
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	1,000	1,000
Other Long-term Liabilities	0	0
Commitments and Contingencies
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	28,831
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	1,936,547	508,841
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Equity	1,936,547	508,841
Total Liabilities and Equity	5,676,736	4,055,048
Guarantors | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	23,380	7,803	4,713	10,366
Accounts Receivable	53,364	18,917
Intercompany Receivable	653,008	1,038,141
Other Current Assets	70,660	107,235
Total Current Assets	800,412	1,172,096
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,804,991	1,633,885
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	1,000	1,869
Investment in Subsidiaries	699,411	459,429
Goodwill	2,602,784	1,640,130
Other	765,698	414,407
Total Other Assets, net	4,068,893	2,515,835
Total Assets	6,674,296	5,321,816
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	0	0
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	51,456	41,159
Total Other Current Liabilities	488,194	463,556
Long-term debt, net of current portion	1,055,642	674,798
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	4,014,330	3,325,005
Other Long-term Liabilities	127,715	119,454
Commitments and Contingencies
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	0
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	936,959	697,844
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Equity	936,959	697,844
Total Liabilities and Equity	6,674,296	5,321,816
Canada Company | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	17,110	13,182	4,979	1,094
Accounts Receivable	37,781	30,428
Intercompany Receivable	21,114	0
Other Current Assets	4,967	2,305
Total Current Assets	80,972	45,915
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	159,391	137,100
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	35,504	27,731
Goodwill	217,422	152,975
Other	49,570	22,637
Total Other Assets, net	302,496	203,343
Total Assets	542,859	386,358
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	0	5,892
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	0	0
Total Other Current Liabilities	40,442	26,804
Long-term debt, net of current portion	335,410	284,798
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	0	869
Other Long-term Liabilities	54,054	37,402
Commitments and Contingencies
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	0
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	112,953	30,593
Noncontrolling Interests	0	0
Total Equity	112,953	30,593
Total Liabilities and Equity	542,859	386,358
Non-Guarantors | Reportable legal entities
Current Assets:
Cash and Cash Equivalents	193,589	107,245	$ 113,842	$ 107,823
Accounts Receivable	600,104	515,056
Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Other Current Assets	108,776	54,721
Total Current Assets	902,469	677,022
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net	1,118,461	725,512
Other Assets, Net:
Long-term Notes Receivable from Affiliates and Intercompany Receivable	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	77,449	2,862
Goodwill	1,084,815	567,873
Other	571,078	196,872
Total Other Assets, net	1,733,342	767,607
Total Assets	3,754,272	2,170,141
Liabilities and Equity
Intercompany Payable	115,630	152,600
Current Portion of Long-term Debt	121,548	46,938
Total Other Current Liabilities	286,468	206,663
Long-term debt, net of current portion	1,593,766	1,189,196
Long-term Notes Payable to Affiliates and Intercompany Payable	0	0
Other Long-term Liabilities	188,900	65,683
Commitments and Contingencies
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests	25,866
Total Iron Mountain Incorporated Stockholders' Equity	1,421,970	489,295
Noncontrolling Interests	124	19,766
Total Equity	1,422,094	509,061
Total Liabilities and Equity	$ 3,754,272	$ 2,170,141