XML 52 R37.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.8.0.1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Revenue - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Amortization	$ 50,699	$ 29,022
Commissions asset
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Amortization Period	3 years
Contract Duration Term	1 year
Data Center Business
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Percentage of consolidated revenue	5.00%
Intake Costs asset
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Capitalized Contract Cost, Amortization Period	3 years
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Cumulative Effect of New Accounting Principle in Period of Adoption	$ 29,461
Commissions asset
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Amortization	3,587
Intake Costs asset
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items]
Amortization	$ 2,730

X

- Definition

Capitalized Contract Cost, Amortization Period

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	irm_CapitalizedContractCostAmortizationPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Contract, Term

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	irm_ContractTerm
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Percentage Of Consolidated Revenue

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	irm_PercentageOfConsolidatedRevenue
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

[Line Items] for Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Table]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	irm_RevenueInitialApplicationPeriodCumulativeEffectTransitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	irm_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The aggregate amount of recurring noncash expense charged against earnings in the period to allocate the cost of assets over their estimated remaining economic lives.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 350
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66006027&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdjustmentForAmortization
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount after tax of increase (decrease) to equity or (increase) decrease to net assets, resulting from the cumulative effect adjustment of a new accounting principle applied in the period of adoption.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CumulativeEffectOfNewAccountingPrincipleInPeriodOfAdoption
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=irm_CommissionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=irm_DataCenterMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=irm_IntakeCostsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AdjustmentsForNewAccountingPronouncementsAxis=us-gaap_AccountingStandardsUpdate201409Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=irm_CommissionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByAssetClassAxis=irm_IntakeCostsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: