Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Investment in storage facilities:
Land	$ 786,628	$ 786,628
Building, equipment, and construction in progress	3,541,631	3,534,782
Real estate investment property, at cost, total	4,328,259	4,321,410
Less: accumulated depreciation	(647,130)	(624,314)
Investment in storage facilities, net	3,681,129	3,697,096
Cash and cash equivalents	7,778	9,167
Accounts receivable	7,286	7,331
Receivable from unconsolidated joint ventures	900	1,397
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	133,106	133,458
Prepaid expenses	17,335	6,757
Fair value of interest rate swap agreements	277	205
Trade name	16,500	16,500
Other assets	4,603	4,863
Total Assets	3,868,914	3,876,774
Liabilities
Line of credit	130,000	105,000
Term notes, net	1,609,576	1,609,089
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	69,227	92,941
Deferred revenue	10,347	9,374
Mortgages payable	12,581	12,674
Total Liabilities	1,831,731	1,829,078
Noncontrolling redeemable Operating Partnership Units at redemption value	17,846	19,373
Shareholders' Equity/ Partners' Capital
Common stock $.01 par value, 100,000,000 shares authorized, 46,514,198 shares outstanding at March 31, 2018 (46,552,222 at December 31, 2017)	465	466
Additional paid-in capital	2,364,671	2,363,171
Dividends in excess of net income	(338,489)	(327,727)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(7,310)	(7,587)
Total Shareholders’ Equity	2,019,337	2,028,323
Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiary	0	0
Total Equity	2,019,337	2,028,323
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity/ Partners' Capital	3,868,914	3,876,774
Life Storage LP [Member]
Investment in storage facilities:
Land	786,628	786,628
Building, equipment, and construction in progress	3,541,631	3,534,782
Real estate investment property, at cost, total	4,328,259	4,321,410
Less: accumulated depreciation	(647,130)	(624,314)
Investment in storage facilities, net	3,681,129	3,697,096
Cash and cash equivalents	7,778	9,167
Accounts receivable	7,286	7,331
Receivable from unconsolidated joint ventures	900	1,397
Investment in unconsolidated joint ventures	133,106	133,458
Prepaid expenses	17,335	6,757
Fair value of interest rate swap agreements	277	205
Trade name	16,500	16,500
Other assets	4,603	4,863
Total Assets	3,868,914	3,876,774
Liabilities
Line of credit	130,000	105,000
Term notes, net	1,609,576	1,609,089
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	69,227	92,941
Deferred revenue	10,347	9,374
Mortgages payable	12,581	12,674
Total Liabilities	1,831,731	1,829,078
Limited partners’ redeemable capital interest at redemption value (217,481 units outstanding at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017)	17,846	19,373
Shareholders' Equity/ Partners' Capital
General partner (467,317 and 467,697 units outstanding at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively)	20,373	20,478
Limited partners (46,046,881 and 46,084,525 units outstanding at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively)	2,006,274	2,015,432
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(7,310)	(7,587)
Total Controlling Partners’ Capital	2,019,337	2,028,323
Noncontrolling interest in consolidated subsidiary	0	0
Total Partners' Capital	2,019,337	2,028,323
Total Liabilities and Shareholders' Equity/ Partners' Capital	$ 3,868,914	$ 3,876,774