XML 49 R37.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.10.0.1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Revenue - Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 6 Months Ended
--- | ---
Jun. 30, 2018 | Jun. 30, 2017
Revenue, Initial Application Period Cumulative Effect Transition [Line Items] |  |
Amortization | $ 99,445 | $ 58,774
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 | $ 30,233 |

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 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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -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 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109223946&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AdjustmentForAmortization
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amortization period of cost capitalized in obtaining or fulfilling contract with customer, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 340 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68051541&loc=SL49131251-203054 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_CapitalizedContractCostAmortizationPeriod
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_RevenueInitialApplicationPeriodCumulativeEffectTransitionLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=irm_CommissionsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=irm_DataCenterMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_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: |