Divestitures (Details) AUD in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	May 30, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 AUD
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business				$ 0	$ (16,838)	$ 0
Gain on divestiture				(38,869)	0	0
Total (loss) income from discontinued operations				(6,291)	3,353	0
Equity Method Investments, Fair Value Disclosure				18,000	0	$ 0
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Total (loss) income from discontinued operations				(6,291)
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Initial United States Divestments [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Revenue				0	13,047
Discontinued Operation, Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operation, before Income Tax				(8,118)	4,105
Discontinued Operation, Tax Effect of Discontinued Operation				(1,827)	752
Total (loss) income from discontinued operations					3,353
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Australia Divestment Business [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business			$ (14,000)		(15,417)
Divestiture cash consideration received								$ 53,200	AUD 70,000
Disposal Group, Disposed of by Sale, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Iron Mountain Canadian Divestments [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Business					$ (1,421)
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Russia and Ukraine Divestment [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Net Assets Excluding Goodwill	$ 4,716
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill	$ 3,515			3,515
Gain on divestiture		$ (38,869)		(38,869)
Discontinued Operation, Equity Method Investment Retained after Disposal, Ownership Interest after Disposal	25.00%
Disposal Group, Cumulative Translation Adjustment	$ 29,100			$ 29,100
Other Assets [Member] | Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operations [Member] | Russia and Ukraine Divestment [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Equity Method Investments, Fair Value Disclosure	18,000						$ 17,539
Equity Method Investments	$ 20,869