This element represents the adjustments to state redeemable noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries at estimated liquidation amount for the reporting period.

Name:	psa_AdjustmentsOfPermanentNoncontrollingInterestsInSubsidiariesToLiquidationValue
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Cost to acquire partial interest in an entity.

+ Details

Name:	psa_CostsToAcquirePartialInterest
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests.

+ Details

Name:	psa_DistributionsPaidToRedeemableNoncontrollingInterests
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of entities Public Storage has redeemable noncontrolling interests in at the end of the reporting period.

+ Details

Name:	psa_EntitiesNoncontrollingInterestsSubsidiaries
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number Of Consolidated Limited Partnership Interests Acquired From Hughes Family.

+ Details

Name:	psa_NumberOfConsolidatedLimitedPartnershipInterestsAcquiredFromHughesFamily
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:positiveIntegerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Allocated income of our other permanent noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries for the reporting period.

+ Details

Name:	psa_OtherPermanentNoncontrollingInterestsInSubsidiaries
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of entities Public Storage has permanent noncontrolling interests in at the end of the reporting period.

+ Details

Name:	psa_PermanentNoncontrollingInterestsInSubsidiariesNumberOfEntities
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of facilities owned by the 28 entities that Public Storage has permanent noncontrolling interests in at the end of the reporting period.

+ Details

Name:	psa_PermanentNoncontrollingInterestsInSubsidiariesNumberOfSelfStorageFacilities
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the income allocated to redeemable noncontrolling interests.

+ Details

Name:	psa_RedeemableNoncontrollingInterestsInSubsidiaries
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The number of facilities owned by the three entities that Public Storage has redeemable noncontrolling interests in at the end of the reporting period.

+ Details

Name:	psa_SelfStorageFacilitiesNoncontrollingInterestsSubsidiaries
Namespace Prefix:	psa
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Change in additional paid in capital as a result of a reallocation of a subsidiary's stockholders' equity to noncontrolling interest due to the subsidiary issuing stock. This reallocation is from a capital transaction.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalReallocationOfMinorityInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total cost of the acquired entity including the cash paid to shareholders of acquired entities, fair value of debt and equity securities issued to shareholders of acquired entities, the fair value of the liabilities assumed, and direct costs of the acquisition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 141
-Paragraph 51
-Subparagraph d
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityPurchasePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Decrease in noncontrolling interest balance from payment of dividends or other distributions by the non-wholly owned subsidiary or partially owned entity, included in the consolidation of the parent entity, to the noncontrolling interest holders.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6959260&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 51
-Paragraph 38
-Subparagraph c(2)
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestDecreaseFromDistributionsToNoncontrollingInterestHolders
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Decrease in noncontrolling interest (for example, but not limited to, redeeming or purchasing the interests of noncontrolling shareholders, issuance of shares (interests) by the non-wholly owned subsidiary to the parent entity for other than cash, and a buyback of shares (interest) by the non-wholly owned subsidiary from the noncontrolling interests).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher AICPA
-Name Accounting Research Bulletin (ARB)
-Number 51
-Paragraph 38
-Subparagraph c(2)
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6959260&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 23
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6921628&loc=SL4569655-111683

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 24
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6921628&loc=SL4616395-111683

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_MinorityInterestDecreaseFromRedemptions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Noncontrolling Interests in Subsidiaries (Redeemable and Other and Permanent Noncontrolling Interest) (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011 Equity Of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest In Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Equity Of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest In Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Equity Of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest In Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Equity Of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest In Subsidiaries [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Permanent Noncontrolling Interests In Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Permanent Noncontrolling Interests In Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Permanent Noncontrolling Interests In Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Other Permanent Noncontrolling Interests In Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2011 Other Permanent Noncontrolling Interests In Subsidiaries [Member]	Jun. 30, 2010 Other Permanent Noncontrolling Interests In Subsidiaries [Member]
Noncontrolling interests in Subsidiaries represent equity interests in three entities					3
Noncontrolling interests in Subsidiaries represent equity interests in 14 self-storage facilities					14
Equity interests value increase					$ 218,000	$ 160,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries	461,000		241,000	234,000	461,000	457,000
Distributions paid to noncontrolling interests	(7,148,000)	(12,261,000)			567,000	588,000
Income allocated to other permanent noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries									4,256,000	4,091,000	8,496,000	8,012,000
Distributions to Permanent and Other noncontrolling interests	6,581,000										6,581,000	8,048,000
Permanent Noncontrolling Interests in Subsidiaries, number of entities								16
Permanent Noncontrolling Interests in Subsidiaries, number of self-storage facilities								59
Acquisition cost	154,300,000
Acquisition cost							12,026,000	12,026,000
Decrease in Permanent Noncontrolling Interests								4,822,000
Underlying book value								$ 7,204,000
Number of consolidated limited partnership interests acquired from Hughes Family	15