Selected Consolidated Financial Statements of Parent, Guarantors, Canada Company and Non-Guarantors - Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	$ 724,259	$ 541,216	$ 541,760
Cash Flows from Operating Activities-Discontinued Operations	(3,291)	2,679	0
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	720,968	543,895	541,760
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures	(343,131)	(328,603)	(290,249)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(219,705)	(291,965)	(113,558)
Intercompany loans to subsidiaries	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements	(75,185)	(50,766)	(55,111)
Net proceeds from Iron Mountain Divestments	29,236	30,654	0
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment and other, net (including real estate)	9,337	7,977	2,272
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Continuing Operations	(599,448)	(632,703)	(456,646)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	96,712	0
Cash Flows from Investing Activities	(599,448)	(535,991)	(456,646)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayment of revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	(14,429,695)	(14,851,440)	(10,796,873)
Proceeds from revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	13,917,055	14,544,388	10,925,709
Early retirement of senior subordinated notes	(1,746,856)	0	(814,728)
Net proceeds from sales of senior notes	2,656,948	925,443	985,000
Borrowings (payments) Under Cash Pools	0
Debt financing from (repayment to) and equity contribution from (distribution to) noncontrolling interests, net	9,079	(466)	5,574
Intercompany loans from parent	0	0	0
Equity contribution from parent	0	0	0
Parent cash dividends	(439,999)	(505,871)	(406,508)
Net proceeds associated with the Equity Offering	516,462	0	0
Proceeds From Issuance Of At The Market Program	59,129	0	0
Net proceeds (payments) associated with employee stock-based awards	13,095	31,922	7,149
Excess tax benefit from employee stock-based awards	0	0	327
Payment of debt financing and stock issuance costs	(14,793)	(18,603)	(14,161)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities	540,425	125,373	(108,511)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Continuing Operations	540,425	125,373	(108,511)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	0	0
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	27,270	(25,174)	(8,015)
(Decrease) Increase in cash and cash equivalents	689,215	108,103	(31,412)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	236,484	128,381	159,793
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	925,699	236,484	128,381
Eliminations
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	0	0	0
Cash Flows from Operating Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	0
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	0	0
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Intercompany loans to subsidiaries	1,335,554	11,493	(654,951)
Investment in subsidiaries	16,170	3,170	50,552
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements	0	0	0
Net proceeds from Iron Mountain Divestments	0	0
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment and other, net (including real estate)	0	0	0
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Continuing Operations	1,351,724	14,663	(604,399)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	0
Cash Flows from Investing Activities	1,351,724	14,663
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayment of revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	0	0	0
Proceeds from revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	0	0	0
Early retirement of senior subordinated notes	0		0
Net proceeds from sales of senior notes	0	0	0
Borrowings (payments) Under Cash Pools	(94,726)
Debt financing from (repayment to) and equity contribution from (distribution to) noncontrolling interests, net	0	0	0
Intercompany loans from parent	(1,335,554)	(11,493)	654,951
Equity contribution from parent	(16,170)	(3,170)	(50,552)
Parent cash dividends	0	0	0
Net proceeds associated with the Equity Offering	0
Proceeds From Issuance Of At The Market Program	0
Net proceeds (payments) associated with employee stock-based awards	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from employee stock-based awards			0
Payment of debt financing and stock issuance costs	0	0	0
Cash Flows from Financing Activities	(1,446,450)	(14,663)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Continuing Operations	(1,446,450)	(14,663)	604,399
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	0
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
(Decrease) Increase in cash and cash equivalents	(94,726)	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	0	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	(94,726)	0	0
Parent | Reportable legal entities
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	(203,403)	(168,389)	(161,287)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	0
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	(203,403)	(168,389)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	0	0	0
Intercompany loans to subsidiaries	(990,635)	175,092	334,019
Investment in subsidiaries	(16,170)	(1,585)	(25,276)
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements	0	0	0
Net proceeds from Iron Mountain Divestments	0	0
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment and other, net (including real estate)	0	0	0
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Continuing Operations	(1,006,805)	173,507	308,743
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	0
Cash Flows from Investing Activities	(1,006,805)	173,507
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayment of revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	(262,579)	(1,163,654)	0
Proceeds from revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	224,660	1,150,628	47,198
Early retirement of senior subordinated notes	(1,031,554)		(814,728)
Net proceeds from sales of senior notes	2,134,870	492,500	985,000
Borrowings (payments) Under Cash Pools	0
Debt financing from (repayment to) and equity contribution from (distribution to) noncontrolling interests, net	0	0	0
Intercompany loans from parent	0	0	0
Equity contribution from parent	0	0	0
Parent cash dividends	(439,999)	(505,871)	(406,508)
Net proceeds associated with the Equity Offering	516,462
Proceeds From Issuance Of At The Market Program	59,129
Net proceeds (payments) associated with employee stock-based awards	13,095	31,922	7,149
Excess tax benefit from employee stock-based awards			327
Payment of debt financing and stock issuance costs	(3,848)	(8,389)	(2,002)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities	1,210,236	(2,864)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Continuing Operations	1,210,236	(2,864)	(183,564)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	0
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
(Decrease) Increase in cash and cash equivalents	28	2,254	(36,108)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	2,405	151	36,259
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	2,433	2,405	151
Guarantors | Reportable legal entities
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	738,256	633,808	568,491
Cash Flows from Operating Activities-Discontinued Operations	(1,345)	1,076
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	736,911	634,884
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures	(235,996)	(192,736)	(189,693)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(96,946)	4,007	(78,004)
Intercompany loans to subsidiaries	(344,919)	(166,400)	320,932
Investment in subsidiaries	0	(1,585)	(25,276)
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements	(63,765)	(40,217)	(44,578)
Net proceeds from Iron Mountain Divestments	0	0
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment and other, net (including real estate)	12,963	5,235	586
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Continuing Operations	(728,663)	(391,696)	(16,033)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	78,564
Cash Flows from Investing Activities	(728,663)	(313,132)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayment of revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	(8,077,553)	(7,511,941)	(8,456,352)
Proceeds from revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	7,650,617	7,144,874	8,220,200
Early retirement of senior subordinated notes	0		0
Net proceeds from sales of senior notes	0	246,250	0
Borrowings (payments) Under Cash Pools	56,233
Debt financing from (repayment to) and equity contribution from (distribution to) noncontrolling interests, net	0	0	0
Intercompany loans from parent	982,783	(183,454)	(327,888)
Equity contribution from parent	0	1,585	25,276
Parent cash dividends	0	0	0
Net proceeds associated with the Equity Offering	0
Proceeds From Issuance Of At The Market Program	0
Net proceeds (payments) associated with employee stock-based awards	0	0	0
Excess tax benefit from employee stock-based awards			0
Payment of debt financing and stock issuance costs	(9,391)	(3,489)	(10,604)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities	602,689	(306,175)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Continuing Operations	602,689	(306,175)	(549,368)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0	0
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
(Decrease) Increase in cash and cash equivalents	610,937	15,577	3,090
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	23,380	7,803	4,713
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	634,317	23,380	7,803
Canada Company | Reportable legal entities
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Cash Flows from Operating Activities		41,885	39,181
Cash Flows from Operating Activities-Discontinued Operations		1,710
Cash Flows from Operating Activities		43,595
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures		(10,284)	(15,128)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(2,405)	(5,260)
Intercompany loans to subsidiaries		(20,185)	0
Investment in subsidiaries		0	0
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements		(366)	(576)
Net proceeds from Iron Mountain Divestments		4,032
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment and other, net (including real estate)		30	49
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Continuing Operations		(29,178)	(20,915)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Discontinued Operations		16,153
Cash Flows from Investing Activities		(13,025)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayment of revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt		(1,273,228)	(754,703)
Proceeds from revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt		1,130,193	835,101
Early retirement of senior subordinated notes			0
Net proceeds from sales of senior notes		186,693	0
Debt financing from (repayment to) and equity contribution from (distribution to) noncontrolling interests, net		0	0
Intercompany loans from parent		(67,514)	(94,038)
Equity contribution from parent		0	0
Parent cash dividends		0	0
Net proceeds (payments) associated with employee stock-based awards		0	0
Excess tax benefit from employee stock-based awards			0
Payment of debt financing and stock issuance costs		(895)	0
Cash Flows from Financing Activities		(24,751)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Continuing Operations		(24,751)	(13,640)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Discontinued Operations		0
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents		(1,891)	3,577
(Decrease) Increase in cash and cash equivalents		3,928	8,203
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	17,110	13,182	4,979
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year		17,110	13,182
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member] | Reportable legal entities
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Cash Flows from Operating Activities		33,912	95,375
Cash Flows from Operating Activities-Discontinued Operations		(107)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities		33,805
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures		(125,583)	(85,428)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired		(293,567)	(30,294)
Intercompany loans to subsidiaries		0	0
Investment in subsidiaries		0	0
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements		(10,183)	(9,957)
Net proceeds from Iron Mountain Divestments		26,622
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment and other, net (including real estate)		2,712	1,637
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Continuing Operations		(399,999)	(124,042)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Discontinued Operations		1,995
Cash Flows from Investing Activities		(398,004)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayment of revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt		(4,902,617)	(1,585,818)
Proceeds from revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt		5,118,693	1,823,210
Early retirement of senior subordinated notes			0
Net proceeds from sales of senior notes		0	0
Debt financing from (repayment to) and equity contribution from (distribution to) noncontrolling interests, net		(466)	5,574
Intercompany loans from parent		262,461	(233,025)
Equity contribution from parent		1,585	25,276
Parent cash dividends		0	0
Net proceeds (payments) associated with employee stock-based awards		0	0
Excess tax benefit from employee stock-based awards			0
Payment of debt financing and stock issuance costs		(5,830)	(1,555)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities		473,826
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Continuing Operations		473,826	33,662
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Discontinued Operations		0
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents		(23,283)	(11,592)
(Decrease) Increase in cash and cash equivalents		86,344	(6,597)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	193,589	107,245	113,842
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year		193,589	$ 107,245
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries including Canada Company | Reportable legal entities
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	189,406
Cash Flows from Operating Activities-Discontinued Operations	(1,946)
Cash Flows from Operating Activities	187,460
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Capital expenditures	(107,135)
Cash paid for acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(122,759)
Intercompany loans to subsidiaries	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0
Acquisitions of customer relationships and customer inducements	(11,420)
Net proceeds from Iron Mountain Divestments	29,236
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment and other, net (including real estate)	(3,626)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Continuing Operations	(215,704)
Cash Flows from Investing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0
Cash Flows from Investing Activities	(215,704)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Repayment of revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	(6,089,563)
Proceeds from revolving credit and term loan facilities and other debt	6,041,778
Early retirement of senior subordinated notes	(715,302)
Net proceeds from sales of senior notes	522,078
Borrowings (payments) Under Cash Pools	38,493
Debt financing from (repayment to) and equity contribution from (distribution to) noncontrolling interests, net	9,079
Intercompany loans from parent	352,771
Equity contribution from parent	16,170
Parent cash dividends	0
Net proceeds associated with the Equity Offering	0
Proceeds From Issuance Of At The Market Program	0
Net proceeds (payments) associated with employee stock-based awards	0
Payment of debt financing and stock issuance costs	(1,554)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities	173,950
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Continuing Operations	173,950
Cash Flows from Financing Activities-Discontinued Operations	0
Effect of exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents	27,270
(Decrease) Increase in cash and cash equivalents	172,976
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	210,699
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	$ 383,675	$ 210,699