Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Income (Loss) Per Share - Basic and Diluted (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	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
Income (Loss) Per Share-Basic and Diluted
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
Total (loss) income from discontinued operations									0	(209)	831
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
Weighted-average shares—basic (in shares)									210,764,000	195,278,000	190,994,000
Effect of dilutive potential stock options (in shares)									834,659	913,926	995,836
Effect of dilutive potential restricted stock, RSUs and PUs (in shares)									519,426	557,269	422,045
Weighted-average shares—diluted (in shares)									212,118,085	196,749,195	192,411,881
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 (loss) income income discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	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 (loss) income from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	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
Antidilutive stock options, RSUs and PUs, excluded from the calculation (in shares)									1,435,297	872,039	903,416