Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details 6) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014 item	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013 item
Income (Loss) Per Share-Basic and Diluted
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations	$ 42,721	$ 18,350
Total income (loss) from discontinued operations (see Note 10)	(612)	2,184
Net income (loss) attributable to Iron Mountain Incorporated	41,667	19,386
Weighted-average shares-basic	191,879,000	190,213,000
Effect of dilutive potential stock options (in shares)	682,801	1,395,106
Effect of dilutive potential restricted stock, RSUs and PUs (in shares)	507,219	501,974
Weighted-average shares-diluted	193,069,000	192,110,000
Earnings (Losses) per share-basic:
Income (Loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.22	$ 0.10
Total income (loss) income discontinued operations (see Note 10) (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.01
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Iron Mountain Incorporated (in dollars per share)	$ 0.22	$ 0.10
Earnings (Losses) per share-diluted:
Income (Loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.22	$ 0.10
Total income (loss) from discontinued operations (see Note 10) (in dollars per share)	$ 0.00	$ 0.01
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Iron Mountain Incorporated (in dollars per share)	$ 0.22	$ 0.10
Antidilutive stock options, RSUs and PUs, excluded from the calculation (in shares)	1,380,962	260,298
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts and Credit Memo Reserves
The general period to charge-off uncollectible balances of receivable, as circumstances warrant, is no later than this period of time past due	1 year
Income Taxes:
Effective tax rates (as a percent)	42.60%	67.80%
Federal statutory tax rate (as a percent)	35.00%	35.00%
Effective tax rate increase (decrease) (as a percent)	1.30%
FX impact on increase (decrease) in effective income tax rate (as a percent)	1.10%	22.50%
Undistributed book earnings of foreign subsidiaries	51,954
Discrete tax benefit attributable to the exception of certain foreign earnings from U.S. federal taxation		4,025
Income tax period for amount after calculating cumulative effect of the changes on prior years, expected to be included in the determination of taxable income beginning in 2013	4 years
Increase in gross interest and penalties recorded	966	545
Accrued interest and penalties recorded	5,598		4,874
Concentrations of Credit Risk
Number of global banks with cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash held on deposit	2		1
Number of "Triple A" rated money market funds with cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash held on deposit	2		1
Maximum investment limit in any one mutual fund	50,000
Maximum investment limit in any one financial institution	75,000
Cash, cash equivalent and restricted cash	203,766		154,386
Money market funds and time deposits	$ 59,157		$ 36,613