1.0.0.3 true Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $) In Thousands false 1 $ false false Unit_1 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Unit_2 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 Unit_4 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 2 $ false false Unit_1 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 Unit_2 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance pure xbrli 0 Unit_4 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 2 ASSETS 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 3 Cash and cash equivalents 2 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 763789000 763789 false false 2 true true 680701000 680701 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 4 Real estate facilities, at cost: 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 5 Land 2 us-gaap_Land us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 2717368000 2717368 false false 2 false true 2716254000 2716254 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 6 Buildings 2 us-gaap_BuildingsAndImprovementsGross us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7575587000 7575587 false false 2 false true 7490768000 7490768 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 7 Real estate facilities, gross 2 us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyAtCost us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 10292955000 10292955 false false 2 false true 10207022000 10207022 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Accumulated depreciation 2 us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyAccumulatedDepreciation us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -2734449000 -2734449 false false 2 false true -2405473000 -2405473 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 9 Real estate facilities, net 2 psa_RealEstateFacilitesNet psa false debit instant monetary The net book value of real estate property held for investment purposes. Excludes (1) construction in process and (2)... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7558506000 7558506 false false 2 false true 7801549000 7801549 false false The net book value of real estate property held for investment purposes. Excludes (1) construction in process and (2) development in process. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Construction in process 2 us-gaap_DevelopmentInProcess us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3527000 3527 false false 2 false true 20340000 20340 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 11 Total real estate facilities 2 us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentPropertyNet us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 7562033000 7562033 false false 2 false true 7821889000 7821889 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Investment in real estate entities 2 psa_InvestmentInRealEstateEntities psa false debit instant monetary The net carrying value of our investments in entities for which we account for using the Equity Method. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 612316000 612316 false false 2 false true 544598000 544598 false false The net carrying value of our investments in entities for which we account for using the Equity Method. No authoritative reference available. false 13 Goodwill, net 2 us-gaap_Goodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 174634000 174634 false false 2 false true 174634000 174634 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Intangible assets, net 2 us-gaap_IntangibleAssetsNetExcludingGoodwill us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 38270000 38270 false false 2 false true 52005000 52005 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Loan receivable from Shurgard Europe 2 us-gaap_DueFromRelatedParties us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 561703000 561703 false false 2 false true 552361000 552361 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Other assets 2 us-gaap_PrepaidExpenseAndOtherAssets us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 92900000 92900 false false 2 false true 109857000 109857 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 17 Total assets 2 us-gaap_Assets us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 9805645000 9805645 false false 2 false true 9936045000 9936045 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 18 LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 19 Notes payable 2 us-gaap_NotesPayable us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 518889000 518889 false false 2 false true 643811000 643811 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 20 Accrued and other liabilities 2 us-gaap_AccountsPayableAndAccruedLiabilitiesCurrentAndNoncurrent us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 212253000 212253 false false 2 false true 212353000 212353 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 21 Total liabilities 2 us-gaap_Liabilities us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 731142000 731142 false false 2 false true 856164000 856164 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Redeemable noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries (Note 7) 2 us-gaap_TemporaryEquityCarryingAmount us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 13122000 13122 false false 2 false true 12777000 12777 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Equity: 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 24 Cumulative Preferred Shares of beneficial interest, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 886,140 shares issued (in series) and outstanding, (887,122 at December 31, 2008) at liquidation preference 2 us-gaap_PreferredStockValue us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3399777000 3399777 false false 2 false true 3424327000 3424327 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Common Shares of beneficial interest, $0.10 par value, 650,000,000 shares authorized, 168,405,539 shares issued and outstanding (168,279,732 at December 31, 2008) 2 us-gaap_CommonStockValue us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 16842000 16842 false false 2 false true 16829000 16829 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Equity Shares of beneficial interest, Series A, $0.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 8,377.193 shares issued and outstanding 2 psa_EquitySharesValue psa false credit instant monetary Dollar value of depositary shares. Equity Shares rank on parity with our common shares and junior to the Preferred Shares... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false Dollar value of depositary shares. Equity Shares rank on parity with our common shares and junior to the Preferred Shares with respect to general preference rights and have limits to liquidation and distribution amounts. No authoritative reference available. false 27 Paid-in capital 2 us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 5680549000 5680549 false false 2 false true 5590093000 5590093 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 Accumulated deficit 2 us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAccumulatedDeficit us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -153759000 -153759 false false 2 false true -290323000 -290323 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Accumulated other comprehensive loss 2 us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -15002000 -15002 false false 2 false true -31931000 -31931 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 30 Total Public Storage shareholders' equity 2 us-gaap_StockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 8928407000 8928407 false false 2 false true 8708995000 8708995 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Equity of permanent noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries (Note 7) 2 us-gaap_MinorityInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 132974000 132974 false false 2 false true 358109000 358109 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 32 Total equity 2 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 9061381000 9061381 false false 2 false true 9067104000 9067104 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 33 Total liabilities and equity 2 us-gaap_LiabilitiesAndStockholdersEquity us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 9805645000 9805645 false false 2 false true 9936045000 9936045 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 34 Cumulative Preferred Shares | Preferred Stock [Member] 0 na true na na na No definition available. false true false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 56 Equity: 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 65 Total equity 2 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3399777000 3399777 false false 2 false true 3424327000 3424327 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 67 Common Shares (CommonStockMember) | Common Shares (CommonStockMember) 0 na true na na na No definition available. false true false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 89 Equity: 2 us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 98 Total equity 2 us-gaap_StockholdersEquityIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest us-gaap true credit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 16842000 16842 false false 2 true true 16829000 16829 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true false 2 38 false Thousands UnKnown UnKnown false true