1.0.0.3 true Consolidated Statements of Income (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified 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_3 Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares 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_3 Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Unit_4 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 3 $ 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_3 Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 Unit_4 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 2 Revenues: 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 3 Self-storage facilities 2 us-gaap_RealEstateRevenueNet us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 1490292000 1490292 false false 2 true true 1579017000 1579017 false false 3 true true 1660304000 1660304 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 4 Ancillary operations 2 us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncome us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 107597000 107597 false false 2 false true 108421000 108421 false false 3 false true 115481000 115481 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 5 Interest and other income 2 us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeNet us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 29813000 29813 false false 2 false true 36155000 36155 false false 3 false true 11417000 11417 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 6 Total revenue 2 us-gaap_Revenues us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1627702000 1627702 false false 2 false true 1723593000 1723593 false false 3 false true 1787202000 1787202 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 7 Expenses: 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 8 Self-storage facilities 2 us-gaap_DirectCostsOfLeasedAndRentedPropertyOrEquipment us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 486928000 486928 false false 2 false true 519090000 519090 false false 3 false true 579193000 579193 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Ancillary operations 2 us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingExpense us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 36011000 36011 false false 2 false true 36528000 36528 false false 3 false true 51961000 51961 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Depreciation and amortization 2 us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 340233000 340233 false false 2 false true 411981000 411981 false false 3 false true 619598000 619598 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 11 General and administrative 2 us-gaap_GeneralAndAdministrativeExpense us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 35735000 35735 false false 2 false true 62809000 62809 false false 3 false true 59749000 59749 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Interest expense 2 us-gaap_InterestExpense us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 29916000 29916 false false 2 false true 43944000 43944 false false 3 false true 63671000 63671 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 13 Total expenses 2 psa_TotalExpenses psa false debit duration monetary Total costs associated with ongoing operations. Includes depreciation, amortization, interest, and general and administrative... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 928823000 928823 false false 2 false true 1074352000 1074352 false false 3 false true 1374172000 1374172 false false Total costs associated with ongoing operations. Includes depreciation, amortization, interest, and general and administrative expenses. No authoritative reference available. true 14 Income from continuing operations before equity in earnings of real estate entities, gains on disposition of real estate investments, net, casualty (loss) gain, gain on early retirement of debt and foreign currency exchange gain (loss) 2 psa_Incomefromcontinuingoperationsbeforeequityinearningsofrealestateentitiesgainloss psa false credit duration monetary Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in earnings of real estate entities, gain (loss) on disposition of... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 698879000 698879 false false 2 false true 649241000 649241 false false 3 false true 413030000 413030 false false Income (loss) from continuing operations before equity in earnings of real estate entities, gain (loss) on disposition of real estate investments, gain on early retirement of debt, and foreign currency exchange (loss) gain. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Equity in earnings of real estate entities 2 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 53244000 53244 false false 2 false true 20391000 20391 false false 3 false true 12738000 12738 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Gains on disposition of real estate investments, net 2 psa_GainOnDispositionOfRealEstateInvestments psa false debit duration monetary This item represents the gain or loss realized during the period from the sale of real estate facilities or investments in... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 33426000 33426 false false 2 false true 336545000 336545 false false 3 false true 2547000 2547 false false This item represents the gain or loss realized during the period from the sale of real estate facilities or investments in real estate entities. No authoritative reference available. false 17 Casualty (loss) gain 2 us-gaap_LossFromCatastrophes us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -525000 -525 false false 3 false true 2665000 2665 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 18 Gain on early retirement of debt 2 us-gaap_GainsLossesOnExtinguishmentOfDebt us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4114000 4114 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 19 Foreign currency exchange gain (loss) 2 us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 9662000 9662 false false 2 false true -25362000 -25362 false false 3 false true 58444000 58444 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 20 Income from continuing operations 2 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsIncludingPortionAttributableToNoncontrollingInterest us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 799325000 799325 false false 2 false true 980290000 980290 false false 3 false true 489424000 489424 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 Discontinued operations 2 psa_DiscontinuedOperations psa false credit duration monetary Overall income (loss) from a disposal group that is classified as a component of the entity, before income tax, reported as a... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -8869000 -8869 false false 2 false true -6418000 -6418 false false 3 false true -2346000 -2346 false false Overall income (loss) from a disposal group that is classified as a component of the entity, before income tax, reported as a separate component of income before extraordinary items and the cumulative effect of accounting changes. Includes the following (before income tax): gain (loss) on disposal, provision (or any reversals of earlier provisions) for loss on disposal, impairment charges, and adjustments of a prior period gain (loss) on disposal. No authoritative reference available. true 22 Net income 2 us-gaap_ProfitLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 790456000 790456 false false 2 false true 973872000 973872 false false 3 false true 487078000 487078 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 23 Net income allocated (to) from noncontrolling interests in subsidiaries: 2 psa false na duration string Net income allocated from (to) noncontrolling equity interests false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false Net income allocated from (to) noncontrolling equity interests false 24 Based upon income of the subsidiaries 2 psa_Netincomeallocatedfromtononcontrollingequitybaseduponincomeoftheconsolidatedentities psa false credit duration monetary Income allocation based on the amount of income from the consolidated entities, excluding the amounts related to redemptions. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -27835000 -27835 false false 2 false true -38696000 -38696 false false 3 false true -29543000 -29543 false false Income allocation based on the amount of income from the consolidated entities, excluding the amounts related to redemptions. No authoritative reference available. false 25 Based upon repurchases of preferred partnership units 2 psa_BasedUponRedemptionsOfPreferredPartnershipUnits psa false credit duration monetary The excess of (1) fair value of the consideration transferred to the holders of the preferred unitholders over (2) the... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 72000000 72000 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false The excess of (1) fair value of the consideration transferred to the holders of the preferred unitholders over (2) the carrying amount of the preferred unitholders in the registrant's balance sheet, during the accounting period. No authoritative reference available. true 26 Net income allocable to Public Storage shareholders 2 us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 834621000 834621 false false 2 false true 935176000 935176 false false 3 false true 457535000 457535 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 27 Allocation of net income to (from) Public Storage shareholders: 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 28 Preferred shareholders based on distributions paid 2 psa_PreferredShareholdersBasedOnDistributionsPaid psa false debit duration monetary Income allocation based on the amount of dividends declared or paid in the period to preferred shareholders, or the amount... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 232431000 232431 false false 2 false true 239721000 239721 false false 3 false true 236757000 236757 false false Income allocation based on the amount of dividends declared or paid in the period to preferred shareholders, or the amount for which the obligation to pay them dividends arose in the period. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Preferred shareholders based on repurchases 2 psa_PreferredShareholdersBasedOnRedemptions psa false debit duration monetary The excess of (1) fair value of the consideration transferred to the holders of the preferred stock over (2) the carrying... false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -6218000 -6218 false false 2 false true -33851000 -33851 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false The excess of (1) fair value of the consideration transferred to the holders of the preferred stock over (2) the carrying amount of the preferred stock in the registrant's balance sheet, during the accounting period. No authoritative reference available. false 30 Equity Shares, Series A 2 psa_EquitySharesSeries psa false debit duration monetary Income allocation in the form of dividends declared or paid in the period to holders of Equity Shares. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 20524000 20524 false false 2 false true 21199000 21199 false false 3 false true 21424000 21424 false false Income allocation in the form of dividends declared or paid in the period to holders of Equity Shares. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Restricted share units 2 psa_RestrictedShareUnits psa false debit duration monetary Income allocation to holders of restricted share units. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1918000 1918 false false 2 false true 2304000 2304 false false 3 false true 376000 376 false false Income allocation to holders of restricted share units. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Common shareholders 2 psa_CommonShareholders psa false debit duration monetary Remaining net income, which is allocated to common shareholders. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 585966000 585966 false false 2 false true 705803000 705803 false false 3 false true 198978000 198978 false false Remaining net income, which is allocated to common shareholders. No authoritative reference available. true 33 Net income allocable to Public Storage shareholders 2 us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 834621000 834621 false false 2 false true 935176000 935176 false false 3 false true 457535000 457535 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 34 Net income per common share - basic 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 35 Continuing operations 2 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerBasicShare us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 3.53 3.53 false false 2 true true 4.23 4.23 false false 3 true true 1.19 1.19 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 36 Discontinued operations 2 psa_DiscontinuedOperationsbasic psa false na duration decimal The amount of income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of related tax effect, per each share of common stock... false false false false false false false false true 1 true true -0.05 -0.05 false false 2 true true -0.04 -0.04 false false 3 true true -0.01 -0.01 false false The amount of income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of related tax effect, per each share of common stock outstanding during the reporting period. No authoritative reference available. true 37 Net income per common share - basic, total 2 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 3.48 3.48 false false 2 true true 4.19 4.19 false false 3 true true 1.18 1.18 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 38 Net income per common share - diluted 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 39 Continuing operations 2 us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsPerDilutedShare us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 3.52 3.52 false false 2 true true 4.22 4.22 false false 3 true true 1.18 1.18 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 40 Discontinued operations 2 us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted us-gaap true na duration decimal No definition available. false false false false false false false false true 1 true true -0.05 -0.05 false false 2 true true -0.04 -0.04 false false 3 true true -0.01 -0.01 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 41 Net income per common share - diluted, total 2 psa_NetIncomePerCommonShareDilutedTotal psa false na duration decimal The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock and dilutive common stock equivalents... false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 3.47 3.47 false false 2 true true 4.18 4.18 false false 3 true true 1.17 1.17 false false The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of common stock and dilutive common stock equivalents outstanding during the reporting period. No authoritative reference available. true 42 Basic weighted average common shares outstanding 2 us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfSharesOutstandingBasic us-gaap true na duration shares No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 168358000 168358 false false 2 false true 168250000 168250 false false 3 false true 169342000 169342 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 43 Diluted weighted average common shares outstanding 2 us-gaap_WeightedAverageNumberOfDilutedSharesOutstanding us-gaap true na duration shares No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 168768000 168768 false false 2 false true 168675000 168675 false false 3 false true 169850000 169850 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 44 Equity Shares, Series A (basic and diluted) 2 psa false na duration string n/a false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false n/a false 45 Net income per share 2 psa_NetIncomePerBasicEquityShareBasicAndDiluted psa false na duration decimal The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of Equity Shares (basic and dilutive) equivalents outstanding... false false false false false false false false true 1 true true 2.45 2.45 false false 2 true true 2.45 2.45 false false 3 true true 2.45 2.45 false false The amount of net income or loss for the period per each share of Equity Shares (basic and dilutive) equivalents outstanding during the reporting period. No authoritative reference available. true 46 Weighted average depositary shares 2 psa_WeightedAverageSharesOfEquitySharesSeriesBasicAndDiluted psa false na duration shares The weighted average number of Equity Shares issued and outstanding, (basic and diluted). false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 8377000 8377 false false 2 false true 8652000 8652 false false 3 false true 8744000 8744 false false The weighted average number of Equity Shares issued and outstanding, (basic and diluted). No authoritative reference available. true 47 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 53 Expenses: 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 68 Net income 2 us-gaap_ProfitLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true 0 0 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 93 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 99 Expenses: 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 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 114 Net income 2 us-gaap_ProfitLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 0 0 false false 2 true true 0 0 false false 3 true true 0 0 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 3 51 false Thousands Thousands UnKnown true true