v2.4.0.6

Employee Benefit And Retirement Plans Pension Assets Target Allocation (Details) | Dec. 31, 2011
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U.S. [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 100.00% |
U.S. [Member] | Equity Securities, Entity Size [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 45.00% |
U.S. [Member] | Fixed Income Investments [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 40.00% |
U.S. [Member] | Insurance Contracts [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 5.00% |
U.S. [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 0.00% |
U.S. [Member] | Pension Assets, Other [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 10.00% | [1]
International [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 100.00% |
International [Member] | Equity Securities, Entity Size [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 23.00% |
International [Member] | Fixed Income Investments [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 14.00% |
International [Member] | Insurance Contracts [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 24.00% |
International [Member] | Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 21.00% |
International [Member] | Pension Assets, Other [Member] |  |
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage | 18.00% | [1]
[1] | Other investments include private equity funds, hedge funds and real estate funds.

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- Definition Pension Plan Asset Category as Percent of Total Pension Assets, Target Allocation Percentage + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | nwl_PensionPlanAssetCategoryAsPercentOfTotalPensionAssetsTargetAllocationPercentage
Namespace Prefix: | nwl_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration