v2.3.0.15

Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	Oct. 29, 2011 Short Term Debt October 2012 Notes including Unamortized Gain [Member]	Oct. 29, 2011 Short Term Debt October 2012 Notes [Member]	Jul. 30, 2011 Short Term Debt October 2012 Notes [Member]	Jan. 29, 2011 Long Term Debt October 2012 Notes [Member]	Oct. 29, 2011 January 2014 Notes	Jan. 29, 2011 January 2014 Notes
Debt Instrument
Total long-term debt	$ 335,474,000
Debt instrument stated percentage (as a percent)			7.375%		9.75%
Interest rate swap agreement, debt amount of hedged item					750,000,000
Debt instrument, carrying value of unhedged portion				0	1,528,196,000	750,000,000
Debt instrument, fair value of unhedged portion		$ 343,517,000		$ 0	$ 1,730,229,000	$ 915,450,000

X

- Definition

The fair value of the unhedged portion of long-term debt.

+ Details

Name:	spls_DebtInstrumentUnhedgedFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	spls
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The carrying value of the unhedged portion of long-term debt.

+ Details

Name:	spls_LongTermDebtUnhedgedCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	spls
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Short Term Debt Unhedged, Carrying Value

+ Details

Name:	spls_ShortTermDebtUnhedgedCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix:	spls
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of the hedged item as of the balance sheet date related to the derivative. For example, the hedged balance on a debt instrument.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeAmountOfHedgedItem
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant